


Show Me Your Moves

by pir8grl



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: F/M, Human AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-03
Updated: 2015-12-10
Packaged: 2018-03-28 21:05:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 46
Words: 29,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3869785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pir8grl/pseuds/pir8grl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John Smith and Rose Tyler run away to join the circus and have the adventure of a lifetime.  *Includes mention of a combat veteran coping with memories and occasional nightmares.  **Eventual baby fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

John Smith protested as his mates dragged him inside the shabby, roadside bar. 

“Live a little! It’s your birthday.” 

“And they’ve got dancing girls. Some of them are usually up for a little… _you know…”_

At that suggestion, John stopped dead in his tracks. His face remained impassive, but the tips of his rather large ears flamed red. “I don’t know. And I don’t want to know. I’ve got a girl, and we intend on doing our celebrating at home.” 

“One drink!” 

“All right, all right…one drink,” John acquiesced good naturedly. 

He let himself be herded inside, only to stumble to a halt as the stage came into view and he saw her. She had golden hair, and was wearing a ridiculously small pink something that might be called a costume if there was more of it. She moved with the grace of an angel. 

“Sorry, mate,” one of his friends whispered as he unceremoniously dropped into a seat. “That one is strictly hands off. They tried to fire her a ways back, for not makin’ nice with the customers but no one else can move like her.” 

“I noticed,” John breathed. 

“Whiskey, right?” 

John nodded silently, unable to take his eyes from the girl on the stage. When his drink arrived, he threw it back in one gulp. 

***

He was waiting for her out in the parking lot. His leather jacket blended into the shadows, and she might have been afraid, except that she knew his profile as well as her own. 

“Rose.” 

“I never wanted you to see me like that.” 

“I don’t mind me seein’ you like that, I mind a bunch of randy blokes in a bar seein’ you like that,” he said levelly. 

“John - I know some of the girls - but, I never - I swear -”

He stepped forward and cradled her face in his palms. “I know. The whole bar full of randy blokes were happy to defend your honor on that score. And you don’t have to swear. Just sayin’ it is enough for me.” 

He leaned in and kissed her forehead, and she wrapped both arms around his waist. 

“We’ve all got to make a livin’ somehow. Rose, I’m no expert, but it seems to me like you’re good enough to be a proper dancer, in a real theatre.” 

She looked up at him and smiled sadly. “It’s hard, being a proper dancer. My Mum tried it…and it’s not like there’s a lot of options for a dancer around here.” 

John gently tipped her face up. “Rose Tyler. I’ve never known you to back away from somethin,’ just ‘cause it’s hard. And who says we have to stay here?” 

“Where could we go?” 

“Anywhere.” 

And she smiled up at him, a genuine, wide grin that matched his own, and laced their fingers together.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some lovely people asked for a bit more of this!

John Smith paused in the doorway of the lounge, a damp towel hung around his neck. His greedy eyes soaked up one of his favorite sights in all creation. Rose Tyler was curled in the corner of the couch, frowning intently as she perused a magazine. In the absence of an overnight bag, she was wearing his violet jumper (which looked much better on her anyway) and her hair had air-dried into waves and loose ringlets. 

He dropped onto the cushion beside Rose and wrapped both arms around her, shifting her to rest back against his chest. “What’re you reading, love?”

“It’s a dancin’ magazine.” 

“With job ads and such?” At her nod, he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Oh, Rose…I’m so proud of you!” 

She looked up at him, chewing her lip in consternation. “But John…I don’t even know how to begin to apply for any of these jobs. What do I put on my resume? Trained by my mum at home, and took all the dance and gymnastics classes at the local community center? And I **_can’t_** say I danced in a bar - people will think I’m a -” 

“Incredibly lovely and talented woman?” 

She smiled at him sadly. “It doesn’t work that way. Not out in the real world.” 

“Hush a moment,” he murmured, resting his chin on top of her head, while he rubbed her arm soothingly. “Does that thing have ads for classes, too?” 

“Yes.” 

“Well, then,” John said, beaming like Father Christmas, “we find you a teacher, get a bit o’ formal polish for the wonderfulness that is Rose Tyler.” He reached up to gently tug on a curl, watching in fascination as it sprang back against her cheek. 

“But there’s no place around here,” she fretted. “And even if there was, how would I afford it?” 

“Fiddlin’ about with computers pays well enough. We’ll manage.” 

Rose curled tighter into his embrace. “I don’t want to go alone, and I can’t ask you to -”

John hushed her with gentle fingers against her lips. “Clever girl, haven’t you guessed by now? The only thing keeping me here…is you.”


	3. Chapter 3

A muffled whimper and furtive movement dragged John from the depths of sleep. “Rose? Whas wrong?” he slurred. 

“Leg cramp,” she hissed through gritted teeth. “I just need to stretch it out. “’M sorry for wakin’ you.” 

John ran his hand down her leg, wincing when he felt the clenched muscle of her calf. “Stay here,” he told her, swinging his legs out of bed. 

“But John -”

“Stay,” he repeated, firmly. He returned a couple of minutes later with a washcloth wrung out in hot water, which he draped over her leg, and a small spray bottle and a banana, which he set on the bedside table. “Let that sit a minute,” he instructed. 

“John, you have to get up in the morning. I can take care of this.” 

He smiled, and tucked a messy lock of hair behind her ear. “Maybe I like takin’ care of you.” He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He passed her the banana. “Eat that.” 

“You’re actually parting with one of your precious bananas?” Rose teased. 

“Nothing’s more precious to me than you,” John replied, dead serious. “Go on, eat up. Potassium’s good for muscle cramps.” 

She winced as his strong hands began to work at the knot in her leg. 

“I know it hurts, love,” he soothed. “Just give it a few minutes, and it should start to loosen up.” 

After a few moments, Rose sighed in relief. 

“Better?” John asked, smiling. She nodded, and he reached for the spray bottle, spritzing a bit on her leg. 

“What’s that?” Rose asked curiously. “It smells gorgeous.” 

“Bit of lavender and peppermint oil. It’s supposed to be good for sore muscles.” 

Rose wriggled around to sit up, and he dropped a kiss to her knee. 

“How’d you find out all this about muscles?” 

“Computer genius, me. I can find anything on the internet. And yes, I know the right places to look. Only the best for my girl.” He slipped his arms around her and kissed her lightly on the mouth. “I don’t know about you, but I could do with a couple more hours sleep.” 

Rose tightened her grip on his arms as he started to pull away. “John? Are you…are you really happy here?” The tiny flat in the city was appallingly expensive, and her job at the campus bookstore didn’t really do much to offset expenses. 

“Got you, don’t I? That’s all I’ll ever need to be happy.”


	4. Chapter 4

“Rose, did I see you bring home a summer course catalog the other day?” John inquired from his spot on the couch. 

“Yeah. Um…I wanted to talk to you about that.” 

“What is it, love?” 

“The thing is, I know we came here because you wanted me to be a proper dancer -”

“I want you to be happy,” he corrected gently. “Come here and talk to me. Please?” John held out his arm, and Rose sat down beside him, cuddling into his side. 

“I’ve been talking to my teachers, and people at school. They tell me that ballet companies mostly hire people who went to their own schools, since they were little kids. To get a job in a show, it’s better to have trainin’ in different styles of dance.” 

“OK.” 

“And there’s this class bein’ offered for the summer,” Rose blurted, “it’s not exactly proper dancing, but I think I’d be good at it, and…it looks like fun. And I could pay for it myself, if you want -”

“Rose, just tell me what it is,” John rumbled in good-natured exasperation. 

She leaned forward to fish the course catalog out from under a pile of mail. She skimmed through until she found the page she wanted. 

“Aerial silks?” John mused. 

“It’s a bit like a combination of ballet and gymnastics, and well…sort of like circus flying.” 

“I think you’d be fantastic. Do it.” 

“Really?” She looked up at him from under her lashes, chewing her bottom lip. 

“I know that look. What else?” John prompted. 

Rose flipped to another page, and John leaned in for a better look. 

“Introduction to Literature?” 

“It’s just…like you’re always sayin,’ you’re a computer genius. I never finished school.” 

Not for the first time, John silently cursed his big mouth. He tipped her face up, so he could look right into her amber brown eyes when he spoke. “Rose Tyler, you listen to me. When I came home from the army, I didn’t…I didn’t ever think I’d see beauty or hear laughter in this world again. And then I met you. If taking a literature class, or any other type of class, will make you happy, then do it. Just don’t ever think that you need to be anything other than _**Rose**_ for me.” 

“You never talk about the army,” she said softly. 

“No. I can’t. I don’t know if I ever will.”

“You know I’d listen, though, if you ever wanted to?” 

“I know. Maybe…someday.” 

Rose curled herself tighter into John’s side, wondering how she’d ever gotten so lucky as to find him. He pressed a kiss to her hair, then rested his cheek on her head, wondering the same thing.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I like these two, and keep coming up with *just another little bit* of their story.

Rose bit her lip, trying not to sniffle as she groped for her door key. She willed herself not to be upset. John worked incredibly hard so they could be here, together, and so that she could have these amazing opportunities. She was sure there was a perfectly good explanation for why he’d missed her showcase class. 

It hurt, all the same. 

She fumbled with the key a bit, then finally got the door open. Stepping inside, Rose dropped her dance bag on the floor and flipped on the light, only to switch it right back off at John’s guttural groan of pain. She hurried into the bathroom, turning on that light, since it wouldn’t shine directly on his face, and swiftly wrung out a washcloth in cold water. 

“Why didn’t you call me?” she scolded gently, kneeling beside the couch, and prying away the arm John had flung over his face before laying the cool cloth over his eyes. 

“Big night, an’ all,” he muttered. “Didn’t want to ruin it for you. Wanted you to have your moment…even if I couldn’t see it.” 

“Doesn’t mean as much if you’re not there.” 

“But you were good?” 

“Yeah. I think so,” she said, with an endearing touch of shyness. 

“’Course you were,” he insisted stubbornly 

“Did you take anything?” Rose asked worriedly. 

He nodded vaguely. Rose leaned in to kiss his cheek, then wrinkled her nose at the wastebasket beside him and went to deal with that. 

***

Rose woke gradually to the sensation of John’s careful fingers undoing the fancy plaits she’d worn for her performance. 

“You should have slept in the bedroom,” he admonished. “Sleeping in a chair’s no good for your back.” 

“Sleeping on the sofa’s no good for yours. Besides, I wanted to be here in case you needed anything.” 

“I wanted to be right here when you came in. Didn’t work out so well,” he admitted sheepishly. “Rose, I am so, so sorry about last night.” 

“Migraine?” she asked sympathetically. 

John nodded. “Alistair brought me home. It’s all a bit fuzzy after that.” 

“But you’re alright now?” Rose asked, looking up at him with wide eyes. 

“I’ll live. And Rose? I know it’s none of my business, and I really shouldn’t have, but…” 

“But what?” 

“I signed on to your school account to see if your lit grade had been posted yet.” 

“And?” she asked excitedly. 

“And you got a B!” John exclaimed proudly. 

“Oh,” Rose replied in a tiny little voice, dropping her gaze. 

John raised her chin with a gentle finger. “Hey, what is it?” 

“I worked so hard on that class. I wanted to get an A, to make you proud,” she confessed. 

“Rose Tyler. I am proud. You haven’t sat in a classroom in a couple of years, and you worked damn hard for that grade. Nothing - and I mean **_nothing_** \- could ever make me not proud of you. OK?” 

Rose nodded, and John leaned in to kiss her forehead. He reached around her, lifting a bouquet of a dozen slightly wilted pink and yellow roses from the end table. 

“Meant to bring these to your performance,” he apologized, pushing the flowers into Rose‘s arms. “I’m afraid they’re a bit worse for wear.” 

“They’re gorgeous,” Rose insisted. 

“Was hopin’ you’d see them when you came in last night.” 

“The light hurt you, so I shut it off.” 

“I’m -” 

Rose laid her fingers over his lips. “Don’t you dare apologize for one more single thing.” 

John kissed the tips of her fingers before gently moving her hand aside. “I won’t if you won’t.” He stood from his perch on the arm of the chair, lifting Rose to her feet at the same time. “What do you say we spend the day celebrating your success?” 

Rose’s face crinkled with concern. “But you usually can’t handle much light or sound after a migraine.” 

“Who says we have to leave the flat to celebrate?”


	6. Chapter 6

John Smith strode down the hall towards his flat, anxious to hear about Rose’s day. Her teachers had suggested that she audition for the school’s fall musical review, as it would be good experience. To their mutual delight, she’d been cast. Lately though, some of her glow had dimmed, and John wanted to know why. To that end, he’d stopped at her favorite chippy for takeaway, hoping to ferret out the reason for her discontent over dinner. 

With that in mind, he was more than a bit startled to open the door and find Rose stretched out on the sofa, and an overly handsome fellow with dark hair and piercing blue eyes settling an ice pack on her hip. 

“Rose? What happened?” 

“Took a bit of a tumble in rehearsal. Jack here brought me home.” She struggled to sit up properly. 

“Stay!” both men said simultaneously. 

“Hi. I’m Jack Harkness,” the handsome stranger said, extending his hand. 

John juggled bags to free a hand. “John Smith. Are you Rose’s new dancing partner?” he asked slowly, eyeing the other man. 

“No. But I should be,” Jack replied firmly. 

“And why’s that, then?” John asked in a deceptively mild tone. 

“Because I’m good. And I prove it by making everyone around me look good, unlike that jerk Rose has been paired with.” 

“Harry’s good,” Rose offered, rather feebly. 

“No where near as good as his mama’s been telling him he is,” Jack snorted. 

John huffed out a breath he didn‘t even realize he‘d been holding. “Somethin’ someone wants to share?”

Jack glanced from one to the other. “I’ll let Rose tell it,” he said finally, heading to the door. He paused with his hand on the doorknob. “Remember what I told you, Rose.” 

She nodded. 

“Thanks for seein’ her safe home,” John said gruffly. 

“It was my pleasure,” Jack replied, with a genuine smile. He looked up at the older man, head cocked to one side. “She talks about you all the time, you know.” 

John nodded, his expression softening as he closed the door. He moved back to the sofa, sitting and gently easing Rose back to rest against his chest. “Want to talk about it?” he prompted quietly. 

“When I was chosen for the show, I was so excited,” Rose began. “An’ then I was picked to dance with Harry Saxon.” 

“The jerk in question?” 

She nodded. “He is good - not as good as Jack, but that doesn’t stop him bein’ full of himself and takin’ every opportunity to tell everyone about it. Thing is, when you dance with a partner, sometimes the fellow’s hands slip, or maybe he grabs you too tight, because he’s afraid you’re going to fall. It’s just something that happens sometimes, no big deal.” 

“But with Harry?” John prompted. 

“All the time. Every girl he dances with. An’ if you complain, he’s on about how chorus girls are a dime a dozen, but well trained male dancers are hard to come by.” 

John’s arms tightened around Rose protectively. “Why didn’t you say something?”

Rose smiled ruefully. “Because I want to have a career in dancin.’ I can’t have my boyfriend defendin’ my honor every time I encounter a creep.” 

“Suppose I like defending your honor?” John murmured, kissing the top of her head. 

Rose chuckled, then sighed. “Today, he caught me alone, and he was goin’ on about how he could ‘help me get ahead.’ I told him to shove off. Then he dropped me in rehearsal. I thought Jack was gonna put him right through the window.” 

“Remind me to buy that man a drink.” He shifted a bit to see her face clearly. “Rose, how badly are you hurt?” 

“I came down on my hip. It’s bruised all to hell, but no permanent damage.” 

“But you’ve got some gymnastics training, couldn’t you -” He made a sort of twirling motion with his hands. 

“Probably. If I’d thought of it. Problem is, I wasn’t expecting it. I was trusting Harry to do his job.” 

John just held her tighter. “I’m sorry, love. What was it that Jack wanted you to remember?” 

Rose blushed. “When Harry was being such an ass, Jack said to remember that I’m brilliant.” 

“’Course you are,” John agreed. 

***

“Remind me again why we’re here?“ John grumbled good-naturedly at the door to the pub. 

“I told ya, we’re celebrating,” Rose informed him, grinning smugly. 

“Celebrating what?” 

“All sorts of things. I’ll tell you inside. We’re meetin’ Jack’s new boyfriend tonight, too.” 

John had been pleased to see Rose’s happy demeanor return over the past couple of weeks. Apparently, Jack had helped her rehearse some sort of quick-twisty-recovery moves, in case Harry decided to drop her again. He did, and their tricks worked quite well, landing Rose safely on her feet, despite her partner’s intentions. There was some half-hearted grumbling on Harry’s part about Rose having no respect for the choreography, but the director was quick enough to remind him that dropping his partner wasn’t supposed to be part of the routine, either. 

“So, will someone please tell me what exactly it is we’re celebrating?” John asked, after the introductions and first round had been sorted. 

“You don’t know either?” Ianto Jones asked. “Jack’s been grinning like a Cheshire cat all afternoon.” 

“And with good reason,” Jack informed him. 

“And are you planning to share that reason any time soon?” John demanded, exasperated. 

Rose smiled and laid a calming hand on his arm. “Jack and I have been promoted to the lead dancing couple for the show.” 

“That’s fantastic!” John crowed, cupping Rose’s cheeks and kissing her soundly on the mouth, only vaguely noting that something similar was occurring on the other side of the table. 

“But wait - it gets better,” Jack practically purred. 

“Do tell,” Ianto prompted, glancing between Jack and Rose’s nearly identical smirks. 

“Weeeell,” Jack drawled, “it seems that Harry Saxon is enrolled in a degree program.” 

“And?” Ianto prompted, while a knowing grin spread over John’s features. 

“And, if you’re in a degree program, in order to participate in a show, you need to maintain a certain average,” Rose supplied. 

“And Mister Goodie Two Shoes Saxon is flunking?” John guessed. 

“Academic probation,” Rose supplied, giggling. 

“Couldn’t happen to a nicer person,” John declared, knocking back his drink with great satisfaction.


	7. Chapter 7

“Dance with me?” Rose invited, holding out her hand, and swaying slightly to the mellow jazz that wafted through the apartment. 

“I’m not quite as flexible as Jack, you know,” John grumbled, but it was more reflex than anything else. He’d never been one to refuse Rose anything, and he was already on his feet. His hands slipped and slithered over the silky red material of the dress she’d insisted on wearing, even if they were staying in for New Year’s Eve. Neither of them had much use for crowds, or drunks. Or crowds of drunks. 

“I wouldn’t know,” Rose replied breezily. “You’d have to ask Ianto. You’ll find your feet at the end of your legs. You may care to move them.” 

“Might step on your toes, and they’re far too valuable,” John replied, seemingly content to just stand there with her in his arms. The lights from their tiny Christmas tree reflected in Rose’s eyes, and John simply stared, lost in those twinkling depths. 

“What?” Rose finally demanded, blushing. 

“You are so beautiful,” John murmured. 

“So’re you.” 

“What, this daft old face? Nah. But you…you are gorgeous, Rose Tyler.” 

After a long moment, Rose looked up at him through her lashes, biting her lip. “John, are you happy here?” she asked softly. “I mean, we came here so I could go to school, but what about you? All you do is work, and sometimes play chess with Alistair. Isn’t there something you’d rather be doing?” 

“No,” he replied firmly. “Got all I need, right here.” He tightened his arms around her. “Besides, I do other things. Sometimes, I go to a dancin’ recital, and I get to nudge the person sittin’ next to me and say ‘You see that absolutely stunning blonde up there? I get to go home with her.’”

“John, you’ve done so much for me, and given me so many chances I never thought I’d have, but…even if we’d never left home…if I never set foot on a stage again…you’re all I’ve ever wanted.” 

John’s breath caught in his chest, and a thousand different ways to say what he wanted to say flitted through his genius mind at top speed. What finally came out in a rough whisper was, “How long are you gonna stay with me?” 

“Forever,” Rose promised, without hesitation. 

John crushed her against his chest, burying his face in her hair. “Oh, Rose…I have something for you. Have had for a while, now, but I’m such a coward…” 

“What’re you going on about?” Rose demanded, her voice slightly muffled against his jumper.

John loosened his hold on her slightly, just enough to rummage in his pocket. “The ladies in the store tried to steer me towards rose quartz and pink diamonds and such, but I just…if you don’t like it, we can…” He finally managed to slide something onto the fourth finger of Rose‘s left hand, and she gasped with pleasure when she saw the brilliant square cut sapphire with a cluster of tiny diamonds on either side. 

“I love it!” 

John stared into her eyes, as if searching for some hint of wavering or indecision. There was none. 

“Fantastic,” he breathed, sweeping Rose up into his arms and spinning her around.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the lovely tenroseforeverandever for previewing!
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*

Word had gotten around campus that that oddly handsome fellow of Rose Tyler’s was a brilliant computer genius, whose mind contained scads of useful knowledge of things like mathematics, philosophy, and literature. Moreover, he was delighted to share his knowledge with anyone brave enough or curious enough to approach him. He adamantly refused any compensation for his time from people who were genuinely trying to better themselves, but there was a good hearted idiot named Mickey (Or was it Rickey?) who insisted on changing the oil in his car for him, and a sweet girl named Lynda (With a Y!) who occasionally gifted Rose with batches of homemade goodies. 

It was perhaps inevitable that a certain notoriously unmotivated student would eventually seek out John’s aid. 

***

John stood quietly at the back of the theatre, waiting for Rose’s rehearsal to end. His hands were shoved deep in the pockets of his leather jacket, and he blended into the shadows rather well. His usual scowl was replaced by a reverent half-smile as his sharp gaze followed Rose’s movements. 

“Good evening, Professor Smith,” an overly ingratiating voice intruded on John’s reverie. 

The scowl descended at the interruption. John‘s eyes flickered over the fawning man beside him, decidedly unimpressed. Little weasel, hanging about the rehearsal, but not part of it. John knew who this one was. 

“I’m not a professor,” he replied, pointedly returning his attention to the stage. 

“Doctor Smith then. It is Doctor, isn’t it?” 

“What of it?” 

“I’ve heard you’ve been tutoring some of my friends,” the interloper replied with oily courtesy. “They say you’re quite good. I’d like to retain your services.” 

“No.” 

“I beg your pardon? I assure you, I can match your fee. Exceed it, even.” 

“I said, no,” John repeated. 

“That’s a mistake, Doctor Smith. This could be seen as discrimination. I could take this to the Board of Governors. I could have your job.” 

John laughed, a rather sharp, humorless sound. He pushed off the wall to stare the smaller man down. “Actually, Harold Saxon, you couldn’t, seein’ as how I’m not on the faculty here.” 

“How do you know my name?” 

“Know lots of things, me.” 

“What? So, if you’re not on the faculty, you’re just a pervy old man who likes to hang around with students? Is that it?” 

John sighed in disbelief. “Harold, in case you didn’t notice when you were registerin,’ this is a school of continuing education. That means that the people studying here are adults. There is no legal constraint on congenial adults gathering to discuss whatever might happen to interest them. Now, if you’ll excuse me, one of those congenial adults is waiting on me to drive her home.” 

With that, John sauntered off down the center aisle. About halfway, he turned back. 

“By the way, that’s spelled c-o-n-g-e-n-i-a-l, in case you want to Google it. Might be a bit of a big word for someone on academic probation.”


	9. Chapter 9

Rose Tyler woke abruptly to the sound of her fiancé shouting her name and calling for her to get down. 

“John? What?” 

Rose reached over for the lamp. The sudden illumination showed John’s face clenched in fear and streaming sweat. She managed to catch his flailing hand just before it struck her cheek. Nightmare or no, she knew John would never forgive himself for that. 

“Get down, Rose!” 

“John? John, hush. It’s fine. I’m fine. We’re safe. John?” 

Abruptly, his eyes shot open, but it was a long moment before Rose saw enough awareness in his expression to release his arm. 

John stared at her tiny hands wrapped around his arm in horror. “Oh, God, Rose….did I-” 

“No, you didn’t,” Rose soothed, stroking his forehead gently. 

Gradually, John’s breathing slowed to normal. 

“D’you want somethin’ to drink?” Rose offered quietly. 

“Please. I’m gonna…” John gestured vaguely in the direction of the loo. 

Rose kissed his forehead softly before sliding out of bed. 

When John returned to their room, Rose handed him a tall glass of iced tea and a fresh tee shirt. She had also fluffed the pillows and straightened the bedclothes. 

“I don’t deserve you,” he muttered, as he gulped down the soothing beverage and exchanged his sweat soaked shirt. 

“Too bad. You’re stuck with me.” She sat down on the bed and drew him down with her. “What was that? From the army? Can you tell me?” 

John dropped his head into his hands. “It was…a lot of things, jumbled together. That first time that Harry dropped you in rehearsal, you said you didn’t react to protect yourself from the fall, because you were trusting him to do his job. I…when I was overseas…there was this night…” 

Rose kept silent, reaching out to rub his back soothingly. 

“There was this night, and this fellow that was on watch, and we were trusting him to do his job…” John sucked in a ragged breath that bordered on a sob. “But he didn’t, and a lot of good men died that night. Somehow, my brain jumbled things together, an’ you were there, too.”

“John? John, look at me,” Rose ordered. She smiled when he turned his head and she could see his crystal blue eyes. “I’m here. You’re here. We’re home, in England, and we’re both safe. All right?” 

John finally nodded, and Rose wrapped her arms tightly around him. “I love you, **_so_** much, and I am so sorry that meeting that miserable little creep triggered something like this.” 

“Not your fault, love,” John murmured, his arms locked so tightly about Rose that he almost couldn’t tell where he left off, and she began. 

“You an’ me,” Rose murmured, “we’re all that matters. Harry an’ all this…it’s not forever, but you an’ me, as long as we’re together…we could go anywhere, do anything.” 

John lifted his head from her shoulder. “Rose? Are you happy here? Is there something-?”

Rose smiled nervously. She hadn’t meant to bring this up just yet, but surely John could do with the distraction tonight. 

“Out with it,” John demanded. 

“John, have you ever thought of running away to join the circus?” 

John blinked. Whatever he was expecting, that was **not** it. 

“Well, I’ve been runnin’ away most of my life, but I can honestly say, I haven’t considered the circus a viable option since I was a small lad.” 

“What if it was? A viable option, I mean?” Rose asked eagerly. 

“An audition?” John asked, as comprehension slowly dawned. 

She nodded, biting her lip. 

“Rose Tyler, if you want to run away and join the circus, then that’s what we’ll do. Together.”


	10. Chapter 10

People paused a moment in their busy day to stop and smile warmly at the couple that had just emerged from the register office. The tall man was impeccable in a grey suit and crisp white shirt. He wore a white rose in his lapel, and a blue silk tie that matched his bride’s dress. The lovely blonde on his arm was simply radiant. More than one witness remarked over their tea that evening that they’d never seen a couple so wonderfully, obviously in love. 

***

John stared down at Rose, utterly besotted. He was oblivious to everything except the way the brilliant blue of her dress swirled around her legs, the glint of sunlight in her hair, and the weight of her hands, wrapped around his arm. 

“What is it?” she murmured. 

“You. I can’t believe it.” 

“Believe what?” 

“That you’re mine.” 

Rose hugged his arm tighter, and rested her head against his shoulder for good measure. “Been yours since the first time you took my hand. You’re stuck with me.” 

“Stuck with you, Rose Tyler? That’s fantastic.” 

“That’s Rose Tyler-Smith,” she corrected him indignantly. 

“Staking your claim?” he chuckled. 

“Isn’t that what I just did in there?” she returned cheekily. 

John beamed down at Rose, wanting so badly to kiss her, but knowing he wouldn’t be able to restrain himself once he started. They were, after all, still on a public street. A fact that was reinforced by the elderly gent in the newsstand waving both arms to catch their attention. 

“For you, sweetheart,” he announced, handing Rose a small box of candy. “Last time I saw a bride so pretty, I was just a young lad, returned home from the war. Congratulations to you both!” 

“Thank you, sir,” John replied, offering the hand that wasn’t entangled with Rose. 

“God bless you, son. You take good care of her!” 

“That I will,” John promised. 

Laughing delightedly, Rose plucked a rosebud from her nosegay and slipped it to the old man when she leaned in to kiss his cheek. 

“You’re in love with the whole, wide world today, aren’t you?” John teased. 

“And why shouldn’t I be?” 

They were almost home now, and John was looking forward to the privacy of their flat, and a bottle of French champagne, and a lovely little cake, created for them by Lynda. That had been a bit of a battle. John and Rose were adamant that their cake be Lynda’s first professional commission. Lynda was equally adamant that it be their wedding present. 

So they were more than a bit startled to open their front door and be confronted by most of the friends they’d managed to make during their stay. 

“What? How?” John spluttered. 

Alistair shrugged guiltily and held up their spare door key. 

“You didn’t really think we’d let you get away without a party, did you?” Jack teased, catching Rose in a hug and kissing both her cheeks. 

“Was sorta hoping, actually.” 

“John!” Rose hissed. 

Alistair laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “You’ve got the rest of your life to spend with Rose. You can spare them an hour or two for their fun.” 

“Not willingly,” John muttered. His expression softened as he observed their friends clustered around Rose, admiring her ring. John held his own hand up so Alistair could see his wedding band. It was simple, but elegant. 

“Titanium?” Alistair inquired. 

John nodded. “It seemed appropriate.” 

“It does indeed. Congratulations.” 

Rose made her way over to them, sliding both arms around John’s waist. “Thank you for coming, Alistair. We really appreciate it. Don’t we, John?’ she added, looking up at her husband meaningfully. 

“Yes, dear,” he replied in a suitably meek voice that fooled absolutely no one. 

“I have something for you,” Alistair said, holding out a worn velvet jewelry case to Rose. 

“It’s beautiful!” Rose gasped, opening the case to reveal a lovely antique pendant. A tiny diamond was showcased in a setting of silver and frosted glass. 

“It’s an heirloom. I’d always intended that my son should give it to his bride.” 

Rose glanced to John with wide eyes. He’d told her how Alistair’s son had been a Royal Marine. He’d never returned home from overseas. All Alistair had to remember him by was a burial flag, and a case full of medals. 

“Alistair,” John began slowly, “we’re honored, truly, but-”

“No buts,” the older gentleman insisted. “This was meant to grace a lovely woman, not sit gathering dust in a drawer somewhere.” 

“Thank you,” Rose whispered as she flung her arms around Alistair’s neck. 

“You’re quite welcome, my dear. Now you, be a gentleman and help her with the catch.” 

John obligingly stepped behind Rose to fasten the delicate chain around her neck. 

“Oh, that’s just lovely,” sighed Donna, dabbing a tear away. 

“Oi! None of that!” Rose cried merrily. “No cryin’ on my wedding day!” 

Donna obediently plastered a wide grin on her face. The mouthy redhead was a conundrum. She literally could not point to Germany on a map, but she’d aced her business certificate. There was no piece of office equipment she couldn’t fix quicker than even Mickey, and no piece of business software she didn’t know inside out. 

A sudden tussle near the dining table caused another ripple of mirth. 

“Ow!” Mickey whinged, cradling his hand. “That hurt!” 

“Good!” Lynda retorted, waving a cake server menacingly. “What’re you thinking? Trying to snitch a cake before Rose and John even see the table!” 

Rose dragged John across the room to admire the table set with all manner of dainty confections. She carefully selected a petit four topped with a delicate icing rose, and took one careful bite, holding the remainder up to John’s lips. 

“This is wonderful, Lynda. Thank you, so much!” 

Donna slipped up beside John. “Oi, Spaceman,” she stage whispered. “I know all about the discussions you had, about Lynda not giving away the shop before she even got the shop in the first place. All of this is a gift, from all of us. So just smile and enjoy it, all right?” 

“Sorry,” John admitted sheepishly. “I’m not good at this.” 

“How’d you mean?” Donna asked, curiously. 

“I’m not used to people carin’ if I stay or go, much less all this.” 

“Get used to it,” Donna advised. “You’re not getting rid of us so easily, you know. We’ll all expect emails and postcards, telling us about your adventures. John Smith and Rose Tyler, running away to join the circus. How amazing is that?”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you (again!) to the lovely tenroseforeverandever for previewing!

John Smith leaned against a wall, arms crossed over his chest and eyes fixed firmly on his wife, who was performing a promotional shoot for the local news. He tried very, very hard to drown out the voice that kept nattering on beside him. While the locals were usually pleased to see the circus roll into town, there were always a few particular species of irritant that just had to crawl out from under the rocks. These included Handsy Drunks, Rowdy Teenagers, and this - the Overzealous Church Lady. 

“…really, young man, have you no concern for the state of your soul?” 

Finally, John pushed off the wall and fixed her with the look Rose had dubbed The Oncoming Glare - usually reserved for the Handsy Drunks - particularly the ones who got within ten feet of his wife. 

“I lost my soul, fightin’ a war overseas. I found it again, the day I married her. My soul is just fine, thanks,” he informed her curtly. He turned on his heel and headed over to help pack up the tech gear. 

***

“I saw you makin’ your usual sunshiney impression on the townies,” Rose teased gently, settling herself more comfortably into John’s side in the cool darkness of their trailer. 

“Bloody busybody,” John grumbled. “Dunno why some people feel the need to go mucking about trying to spoil other people’s happiness.” 

“To be fair, sometimes it’s a little hard for people who don’t know you to realize that you actually ** _are_** happy.” 

“Don’t much care what anyone thinks but you.” 

“But you are? Happy, I mean?” Rose prodded. 

“’Course I am,” John assured her, dropping a kiss to the top of her head. “Got you, don’t I? And I’m traveling, which is something I always wanted to do, until the army soured my taste for it. Although sometimes my mind can’t quite grasp that a genuine old time traveling circus, with tents and all, requires a resident IT guru.” 

“And despite what that woman was going on about, you think it’s a good place? For kids, an’ all?” 

“Seein’ as I help their parents home school a bunch of ‘em, yeah. I think it’s as good a way as any to grow up. Better than a lot. I think these families probably spend more quality time together than most folks with nine to five jobs.” 

“And they get to travel the country, and see all sorts of amazing things.” 

“Rose? Is there something you’re trying to tell me?” 

“No.” She pressed her lips to his collarbone, the most convenient surface. “Not yet, anyway.”


	12. Chapter 12

“John?” Rose called softly as she wrestled the groceries inside. Although it was mid afternoon, the shades in their trailer were drawn, and John was asleep on top of their bed, with a cold cloth laid over his eyes. Even more curious than John actually being still, was the tuxedo kitty who was folded into a neat loaf on her husband’s chest. 

At the sound of Rose’s voice, the cat blinked round golden eyes and announced, “Merlow!” quite gravely. 

“And where did you come from, puss cat?’ she murmured, extending a hand for kitty to sniff while she leaned in to kiss John’s forehead. 

“He was nicking food from Mags’s wolf pack,” John muttered, dragging the washcloth off his eyes so he could see Rose. 

“They’re dogs, and they wouldn’t hurt a fly.” She tenderly stroked his temples. “How bad? And why didn’t you call me?” 

“You know how she gets. Was afraid they might pick up some horrible disease from a stray.” 

“Well, that’s not totally unfounded. And you didn‘t answer me.” 

“I’m fine,“ John said, even though the lines of tension around his eyes disputed that statement. “Anyway, I ran this little guy into town to the vet. He’s fit as a fiddle.” 

“Uh huh. All right, what’s his name then?” Rose wanted to know. The cat nudged her hand, and she petted him absently, her other hand still resting on John’s head.

“I was thinking Uther Pendragon.” 

“You want to name the cat after the company we work for?” Rose demanded in exasperation. 

John smirked, noticing that Rose wasn’t questioning the presence of the cat in their lives, just what he should be called. 

Rose sat down on the bed with her back against the headboard and gently coaxed John to lay his head on a pillow in her lap. The put her put of range to pet the cat, who voiced his displeasure with another ‘merlow.’ Looking very put out, he stood and stretched, revealing immaculate white gloves and spats. He padded up to resettle himself on John’s pillow, within cuddle range of both humans. 

“Now, how bad is your head?“ 

“Not bad. Caught it before it got full blown. That feels good, though,” he added, enjoying the feel of Rose’s fingers on his scalp. 

“Flatterer,“ Rose teased. “You’re just tryin’ to put me in a good mood so I’ll want to keep your new friend. Anyway, how about Arthur? Same theme, not quite so much of a mouthful.” 

“What do you think, boy? Are you the rightful king of all England?” 

“Mer-LOW!” the cat said emphatically. 

John and Rose exchanged a rather startled glance. 

“Merlin?” Rose offered. 

The kitty refolded his paws and began to purr. 

“Merlin it is!” John crowed triumphantly. 

“Never really figured you for a cat person,” Rose chuckled. 

“Neither did I, but this little fellow took a shine to me. Followed me around all morning after I got him away from Mags’s precious puppy dogs. You’re sure you don’t mind, Rose?” 

“’Course not,” she assured him. 

“Better with three?” John teased. 

“Actually,” Rose murmured, “what if…”

John opened his eyes fully and twisted his neck so he could focus on her face. “What if, what, Rose?” 

“What if there were four of us?”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the lovely tenroseforeverandever and time-and-relative-deductions!

*~*~*~*~*~*

“Why do Rose and John get the spot nearest the bathhouse **_again_**?” an irritating French voice complained. 

“Because Rose is pregnant and needs to be closest to the indoor plumbing,” Sarah Jane Smith, owner of the circus, replied, without bothering to look up from her clipboard. 

“And because literally everyone else in this caravan has made a point of mentioning to us that they’re more than happy to give up their spot in the queue to accommodate an expectant mother,” Harriet Jones, general manager, added, with barely concealed irritation. 

Reinette Poisson huffed impatiently as Sarah Jane continued to call out the placement of each trailer. There were some barely contained snickers when it turned out that hers was placed all the way at the end of the lot, near a row of port-o-sans and some dumpsters. Sarah Jane gazed at the Frenchwoman levelly, as if daring her to comment. 

Harriet patted her arm as she passed by. “It may be, my dear, that Pendragon Performing Arts simply isn’t the right fit for you.” 

***

“It’s kind Alistair, really, but we don’t want to be separated right now,” John said, with as much patience as he could muster. “In fact, I can pretty much guarantee that if I put her on a bus to you, she’d turn right around at the first rest stop. Please stop worrying. We’ll be fine.” He sighed heavily as he hung up. 

“He means well,” Rose offered. 

“He does,” John agreed. “And he does have a point -”

“No,” Rose said firmly. “I don’t want indoor plumbing and central air. I want you. And Merlin, and our friends. And maybe some chips. But mostly you.” 

John leaned over and kissed the top of Rose’s head, resting a hand on her belly. 

“He offered to get me my old job back,” John said quietly. 

“Is that what you want?” Rose asked. 

“It’s not just about what I want anymore. It’s about what’s best for you and the little one.” 

“What’s best for us is to be right here, with you, surrounded by people who love us,” Rose insisted stubbornly. 

“All right. Just promise me, please, that if things get too hard for you, livin’ in the trailer an’ all, you’ll tell me. We can rent a room in town for a while if need be.” 

Rose nodded. 

A rattle at the screen door distracted both of them. “Rose! John! Can we use your computer for our French lesson?” Sarah Jane’s daughter Sky asked. 

“Say ‘please,’” her older brother Luke hissed. 

“Please?” Sky added imploringly. 

“I think you just want to play with Merlin,” John chuckled as he unlatched the door. 

“Well, yes. But Mum says I can’t do circus camp if I don’t get a good enough grade.” 

“Your Mum’s quite right,” Rose agreed. “Why don’t you ask Reinette for help? She‘s French.” 

“I don’t like her,” Sky replied. 

Luke swatted her arm. 

“Well, I don’t. She’s stuck up.” 

Rose patted the seat beside her as John set up his laptop. “Come on, then. Let’s have a look at your lesson.” 

***

Merlin poked his head cautiously out from under the edge of the bedspread. “Merlow?” he asked curiously. 

“It’s fine, boy,” John assured him, “they’re gone.” 

“They’re nice kids!” Rose countered. 

“Yeah, they are. Smart, too. Just a bit overpowering, at times.” 

“They grew up with the circus, and they turned out fine,” Rose mused. 

“Nancy’s little boy, too. They’re happy and healthy. Can’t ask for much more.” 

“An’ Sarah Jane and Nancy did it all themselves.” 

“Not really,” John objected. “It takes a village. People to help with school work, and circus camp, an’ all that.” 

Rose reached for his hands impulsively. “That’s what I want for our baby, John. I want her to be able to travel, and learn to be whatever she wants to be, and have people around her who love her.” 

“All right then. If we’re stayin’ on, looks like we’ll be needin’ a bigger trailer.” 

 

*~*~*~*~*~*


	14. Chapter 14

“John Smith. You are a sight for sore eyes!” Jack Harkness exclaimed, clapping the soon-to-be dad on the shoulder. 

“That’s John Tyler-Smith, actually. And you’re just in time - we’re having a good grades celebration for Rose and the kids.” 

“Rose went back to school?” Jack asked. 

“Couple of online courses. She’d been thinkin’ about it anyway, but one of the kids was lettin’ her grades slip, so Rose issued a challenge.” 

Jack shook his head in bemusement. “A computer geek and a chorus girl, running off to join the circus - and having twins, besides - how the hell did you manage all that?” 

“Just lucky, I suppose. Where’s Ianto?” 

“Packing up all the loot we were sent with. There’s a very pink cake from Lynda -”

“Donna still managing her shop?” 

“Yup. I’ve also got a copy of one of those fancy wedding magazines, with an article about it. There’s a big bunch of kid’s books from Alistair, and a mobile that Mickey made in the machine shop.” 

“You lot…you shouldn’t’ve.” 

“Try and stop us.” 

“Oi, what’s all the fuss?“ John called, as the buzz of angry voices sounded from what was supposed to have been a celebration. 

“Clyde called Reinette a bad word,” Sky informed him, grinning broadly. 

“She had it coming,” the older boy muttered. 

“She’s gone off to complain to Mum,” Luke added. 

John took in the situation, then gave Jack a shove in Rose’s direction. The other man nodded, and moved to engulf his friend in a fierce hug. 

“I’ve missed you, sweetheart. You look amazing!” 

John waited to see Rose‘s answering smile, then steered Clyde away from the group. “C’mon, Clyde. Let’s take a walk,” John suggested. “Tell me what happened.” 

“It was Reinette and Adam. But mostly Reinette. She was going on about how she didn’t understand all the fuss, since Rose was just an uneducated chorus girl. She said she didn’t understand what you saw in her, and…” 

“And?” John encouraged, keeping his tone and expression carefully level. 

“And…she said you probably just stayed with Rose ‘cuz you knocked her up. She said it that way!” the boy added quickly. 

“I’m sure she did,” John sighed heavily. “You know that’s not true, right? Not any of it.” 

“No, sir. You look at Rose like she’s the most wonderful thing in the world.” 

“That’s because she is. Now then, what exactly did you say to Reinette?” 

Clyde gulped. “It was bad.” 

“I was in the army. I’ve heard bad before.” 

“Um. It was bad.” 

John decided to let him off the hook - somewhat. “Now, you’re a good lad, an’ I think I can trust you not to be spewing out bad words in front of ladies, but you do need to say you‘re sorry.” 

“But Reinette -”

“Wasn’t acting like a lady. But Rose, and Sky, and Rani, were, right?” 

“Yes,” Clyde replied, catching John‘s meaning. “I’ll apologize for swearing in front of them.”

“All right then. Off you go.” 

Clyde sucked in a deep breath, then turned to go back to the group. After a few steps, he stopped and looked back. “John? I think you’re gonna be a great dad.” 

***

“So, what exactly was it that we walked into the middle of today?” Jack wanted to know. 

“I don’t rightly know,” Rose replied. “I know Reinette did something, but I just arrived in time to hear Clyde. I had to scold him for talkin’ that way in front of the other kids.” 

“Who is this Reinette person?” Ianto asked curiously. 

“A born troublemaker,” John sighed, “and not at all in the good way. She’s an aerialist who was hired to cover Rose’s performances, and help teach circus camp.” 

“Which she’s complete rubbish at,” Rose interjected. “The kids can’t stand her. She’s the reason Sky was letting her grades go.” 

At Jack and Ianto’s puzzled looks, John supplied, “The owner is very strict about the kids having good grades if they want to participate in the circus. Sky adores Rose, and she’d study anything ‘til she was blue in the face so as not to miss a lesson, but Reinette is a different story.” 

Rose looked down at her hands, clenched together in her lap. “She’s always makin’ these sharp little comments about people. It’s hard enough for an adult to take, I can just imagine what it does to the kids.” 

“We ought to set her up with Harry Saxon,” Ianto muttered. “Sounds like they deserve one another.”

“Rose,” Jack said firmly. “You are **_beautiful._** And you have so many gifts, not the least of which is bringing out the very best in everyone around you. I bet those kids can’t wait to get you back.” 

Rose looked up then, and smiled. 

“Maybe you should audition, Jack,” John suggested. “Give it a shot - short term contract.” 

“You’d trust me to dance with your wife?” 

“I’d trust you to never let her fall.” 

 

*~*~*~*~*~*


	15. Chapter 15

John Tyler-Smith fumbled with the door to the new trailer, desperate not to spill a drop of Rose’s fresh strawberry milkshake, or her chips. The sight that greeted his eyes nearly took his breath away. Rose was napping on top of their bed, propped up on a small mountain of pillows. The beautifully illustrated version of Cinderella that Alistair had sent them was spine up on her belly. She was wearing a white eyelet sundress that made her look positively angelic. Merlin was curled up at her side, purring contentedly. 

Martha, the medic who traveled with the show, smiled at John’s dumbfounded expression. “She’s fine,” she whispered. “All three of them are just fine. Rose was reading out loud for the girls, and she just dozed off.” 

John shook himself, as if coming out of a trance. “Right. She’s been having trouble sleeping through the night. Hard for her to get comfortable.” 

“It’s perfectly normal,” Martha assured him. “Any time now. You just call me if you need anything at all, OK?” 

“Thanks, Martha.” 

The scent of chips permeated Rose’s groggy mind, and she struggled to raise herself upright. John was at her side instantly to help, not even noticing when Martha let herself out. 

“What?” she asked, smiling uncertainly at the expression on his face. 

“You are so beautiful,” he said, cupping her cheek reverently. 

“You’re daft,” Rose murmured. 

“I’m in love,” John corrected gently, “with you, and those two little miracles inside you.” 

Rose’s eyes shone as she leaned up to kiss him, but her voice was mirthful when she spoke. “D’you love me enough to hand over those chips?” 

“Your wish is my command,” he chuckled, handing her the packet of chips. 

“Finish reading the story?” she asked. 

“Rose, I think you know how Cinderella ends.” 

“But they don’t.” 

John picked up the book carefully - it really was a lovely edition. Alistair said it was the first book he’d picked out after they told him they were having girls. (The stack he’d acquired between their initial announcement and the revelation of that bit of knowledge were carefully gender neutral.) 

Rose moved on to her milkshake, giggling between sips. 

“Rose, I really don’t think I’m reading it ** _that_** badly.” 

“No! Of course not. It’s just they can’t decide what they love more - the sound of their daddy’s voice, or the strawberries!” And she giggled some more as tiny hands and feet moved inside her. 

“Think we’ve got a couple of future circus fliers in there?” John asked, gently laying his hand on her belly to feel the tiny flutters. 

“Dancers, maybe.” 

“Well, they’ve certainly got the equipment for that,” John replied, nodding towards the windowsill that housed Jack and Ianto’s gift. There were two pairs of tiny pink converse and two pairs of tiny pink satin Mary Janes, complete with bows and ribbon rosettes. The two men claimed that they couldn’t decide on just one style, but refused to say who’d selected what. 

“They could be anything they want, anything at all,” Rose breathed. 

“’Course they can. With a mum like you?” 

“And a dad like you - ooh!” 

“Rose?” 

“I - **_oh._** Maybe you’d better call Martha.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *~*~*~*~*~*
> 
> Thank you to the lovely tenroseforeverandever and allegoricalrose! 
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*

John Tyler-Smith waltzed slowly around the kitchenette of the trailer he now called home. His partner was snug in her baby pouch, nestled tight against his chest. 

_“On the day that you were born the angels got together_  
_And decided to create a dream come true_  
_So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair_  
_Of gold and starlight in your eyes of blue”_

He pretended to dip the baby, and she shrieked with giggles. “Oi, no comments about my singing!”

“She’s just sayin’ that her daddy’s still got the moves,” Rose translated, leaning against the doorframe. 

“And how do you know that?” 

“I speak baby.” 

“’Course you do. We didn’t wake you, did we?” John asked anxiously. 

“It’s fine,” Rose replied, coming over to kiss him and rest a hand on her daughter’s head. 

The moment was shattered by an authoritative rap on the door. The baby in John’s arms emitted a whimper, and the one formerly asleep in their bed loosed a startled wail. Rose waved him to the door as she turned back the way she came. 

“Alistair!” John greeted his friend warmly, as fat tears filled the baby’s eyes, and her sister’s cries could be heard throughout the trailer. 

“My word. I was too loud, wasn’t I? It’s been so long since I was around a little one. My apologies, dear boy.” 

“Not to worry. Little miss Jackie here just needs a minute to get used to you.” 

“Jackie, eh? She’s lovely.” Alistair extended his hand, and after a moment’s contemplation, Jackie wrapped her tiny fist around his finger. 

“Takes after her mum, thankfully,” John murmured, speaking gently to sooth the baby. “Now, have you got a smile for your Uncle Alistair? There now. Formally, then, this is Miss Jacqueline Petra Tyler-Smith. We named her for Rose’s mum and dad.” 

“And who is this ravishing young lady?” Alistair wanted to know, turning to the baby in Rose’s arms. 

Rose and John exchanged glances, then John cleared his throat roughly. 

“Thing is, Alistair, I never knew my parents. So this is Allie. Allison Doris Tyler-Smith.” 

Alistair opened his mouth, then slowly closed it again. “I don’t quite know what to say.” 

“Say you’ll be their godfather,” Rose suggested. 

“I would be honored, my dear,” he replied, standing to kiss Rose’s forehead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *~*~*~*~*~*
> 
> "Close To You" was written by Hal David & Burt Bacharach.
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*


	17. Chapter 17

The sound of a baby wailing and Rose’s fraying-around-the-edges voice drifted through the screen door as Alistair raised his hand to knock. 

“Rose, I don’t know this word!” a small voice complained. 

“I’m sorry, Jamie, you just really need to hang on a mo, OK? ‘M a bit busy right now.” 

Alistair tapped on the door, much more softly than his memorable first entrance. 

“Come in!” Rose called. 

He did, and was greeted by the sight of a young mother in the throes of a ** _very_** messy diaper change, a young lad he’d never seen before waving a book about trucks, and a second baby who looked as if she were working herself up to join in the cacophony. There was also a decidedly unpleasant smell in the air. 

“Hello, Rose. Is there anything I can do to help?” Alistair asked, wanting to be kind, but just a bit unsure as to **_how._**

Rose beamed at him. “Actually, if you could help Jamie with his book? He was readin’ to the girls, and Allie here had a diaper blow out. I **_really_** need to give her a bath.” 

“Certainly, my dear.” He settled himself in the recliner near where Jackie was strapped into her baby seat, guarded by Merlin. Jamie promptly climbed up into his lap. 

Rose bit her lip uncertainly. “You’re sure this is all right?” 

“We‘ll be fine.” He held up a bag from the local bookshop sheepishly. 

Rose smiled gratefully as she slung the baby bag over her shoulder and took her daughter off in search of soap and water. **_Lots_** of soap and water. 

They’d finished Jamie’s book about trucks and moved on to Frog and Toad when the screen door opened and a young woman let herself in. 

“Rose, it’s Martha - oh, excuse me!” 

“Quite all right,” Alistair replied. “Please forgive me not standing,” he added, gesturing to his lapful of child and books. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Martha replied merrily. “You must be John’s friend, Alistair. I’m Martha, the company doctor. And it looks like someone’s had a diaper blow out.” 

“Er, yes. Allie. Rose took her for a bath.” 

“I expect she did.” As she spoke, Martha moved briskly about the trailer, rolling up the soiled towels and clothing, collecting used nappies and wipes, and spraying down surfaces with cleaner. She tied up the trash bag and went to the door, looking around outside. “Maria!” she called. 

After a moment, a teenaged girl appeared. “Yes, Martha?” 

“Run this down to the dumpster, would you?” 

Martha turned back inside. “I expect Rose might like a shower herself. Are you all right with this lot?” 

Once again, Alistair was amazed by the ease with which the young woman moved about, collecting a change of clothing and shower caddy. 

“We’re getting on splendidly.” 

“Good,” Martha said, with a final bright smile. 

***

“George was a good monkey, and always very…cur…curry…” 

“Curious,” Alistair supplied. 

“Curious!” Jamie echoed triumphantly. “Mummy!” he shouted, as a diminutive woman with dark braids wrestled a basket of neatly folded laundry through the door. 

Jamie wriggled out of Alistair’s lap and ran over to hug his mother. She laughed, leaning down to kiss the top of his head. 

“Hello, I’m Nancy,” she said, straightening. “I hope he wasn’t too much bother.” 

“Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart,” he replied, rising to shake her hand. “We’ve been reading stories for Jackie, haven’t we, young man? Rose had to take Allie to clean up,” he added, by way of explanation. 

Nancy bent down to greet Jackie, sniffing critically. “I think I’d better change this one, before Rose has another mess on her hands.” 

She changed the baby efficiently, then placed her in Alistair’s lap. Spying the roll of soiled clothing, she picked that up. “I’ll take this to the slop sink and see what I can do with it.” 

“That’s very kind of you.” 

Nancy laughed at the slightly stunned look on his face. “We look after one another here,” she told him kindly. 

“Yes. I’m beginning to see that.” 

After Nancy and Jamie left, Alistair turned his attention to the baby in his lap, who graced him with a rather drooly smile. “Now then, young lady, what would you like to read?” 

“She’s a bit partial to Cinderella. Both of them are, actually,” John informed him from the doorway, where he stood with Allie cradled against his shoulder. “Seems someone very special gave them a particularly lovely copy.” 

“I think you have a great many very special people in your lives.” 

“That we do.”


	18. Chapter 18

Rose shifted in her sleep, frowning as she rolled over and encountered only empty space. “John?” she murmured. 

She blinked blearily and sat up. John’s side of the bed was empty, and so were the two cots. Rose slid out of bed and padded through the early morning silence to the main room of the trailer. The sight that met her eyes filled her with wonder, and a wave of pure love so strong that it nearly buckled her knees. 

John was asleep in his recliner. The thing was absurdly large to cram into a trailer, but they both loved it because John could relax in comfort, or sit with Rose on his lap, or, in this case, sleep with two tiny babies cradled close to his chest. Merlin was draped across his legs, creating an image so perfect that Rose just had to grab her phone and capture it. 

The soft click was enough to rouse John to crack an eye open. “Morning,” he rasped. 

“Why didn’t you wake me?” Rose murmured, perching on the arm of the chair and leaning down to kiss him tenderly.

“No reason for you to do all the work.” 

One of the babies snuffled, and Rose stroked her downy hair gently while John cuddled her a bit closer. 

“They’re so perfect,” Rose marveled. 

“’Course they are,” John agreed, “they take after their mum.“ 

“Oi, I think their dad had somethin’ to do with it!“ 

John slipped back to sleep, a soft smile on his lips. 

There was an answering smile on Rose’s face as she dropped another kiss to the top of his head.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *~*~*~*~*~*
> 
> Thank you to the lovely veritascara!
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*

“Good morning, John,” Ianto Jones said, proffering a tip-proof lidded mug. 

“Thanks,” John replied, taking a swig of his expertly brewed coffee. “Perfect.” 

“Of course,“ Ianto agreed. “And this is for you,” he continued, handing a second cup to Luke. 

“Cocoa?” the boy groaned. 

“Too much caffeine will stunt your growth,” the Welshman replied. “I’m afraid I didn’t bring anything for you, missy,” he added, addressing the baby John was wearing. “Which one is this, anyway?” 

John looked at Luke and raised an eyebrow challengingly. 

“Jackie,” the lad replied confidently. 

“How can you tell?” Ianto wanted to know. 

“She likes to scrunch up her nose like that.” 

“ ** _That’s_** how you tell them apart?” 

“That’s how he tells them apart,” John chuckled. “Rose and I have a slightly better system. Jackie has a birthmark behind her ear; a tiny little red splotch. Looks a bit like a heart.” 

“How very appropriate,“ Ianto murmured. 

John looked thoughtfully at his friend. “How are you settling in?” 

“Oh, you know Jack.” 

“I do. But I was wonderin’ more about you.” 

“Sarah Jane and Harriet have taken me on as accountant and office manager.” 

“Mum says there’s room enough for everyone’s gifts here,” Luke supplied. 

“It takes all of us to make this work,” John agreed, resting one hand lightly on his daughter’s back while he made an adjustment to the lighting board with the other. 

“And you’re happy here, doing this?” Ianto asked intently. 

“Got Rose, an’ these two. That’s all I’ll ever need.” 

Ianto nodded. “What about you?” he asked, turning to Luke. “What’s your place in all this? Don’t you want to perform, like your sister?” 

“Nah. Never did. And Mum said it was OK. She said I didn’t have to do anything in the circus, at all, if I didn’t want to, but I like this.” 

“And I like a nice, tidy office. Even if it is in a trailer,” Ianto chuckled. 

“You might try some casual clothes,” Luke blurted, eying the Welshman‘s immaculate suit and tie ensemble. “Just sayin,’” 

“These are my casual clothes,” Ianto replied, pokerfaced. 

“Wear what you like,” John advised. “There’s an awful lot of big personalities around a place like this. You just hold on to whatever makes you, **_you._** Be the man that finally made Jack Harkness settle down.” 

“If you call this settled.” 

“I do. Maybe you will, too. Maybe you’ll find something else that makes you happy.” 

“Jack makes me happy.” 

John nodded perceptively. 

And then Jackie decided that the conversation had grown far too solemn, so she gurgled, and kicked, and waved her hands about until she was the center of attention once more.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *~*~*~*~*~*
> 
> Thank you to the lovely tenroseforeverandever! 
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*

Rose woke to the sensation of John’s warm lips on her forehead. 

“You should have woken me,” he scolded gently as he extricated Allie from her arms. “You’ve got a show tonight.” 

“Oi! So’ve you, mister! I don’t much fancy trippin’ over my own feet on a pitch dark stage.” Rose uncurled herself from the recliner and padded after John, smiling fondly as he carefully laid the sleeping baby back in her cot. 

“Rose Tyler-Smith, when have I ever let you down?” John demanded in mock outrage. 

“Never,” Rose assured him, raising up on her tiptoes to kiss him. 

That shut him up for a moment, and he turned back to the bed, fluffing up the pillows. “Come on back to bed for a bit, love.” 

“In a minute,” Rose replied, pausing in front of her full length mirror in the filtered light of early morning. She straightened to her full height, and pulled back her shoulders. She ran her hands critically over her still slightly rounded tummy and frowned at other assorted…curvatures. 

“Rose, stop,” John admonished. 

She twisted this way and that, trying to get a look at her bum over her shoulder. 

“You’ve worked incredibly hard, and you look wonderful,” he assured her for the hundredth time. 

Rose sighed. “I know…but…” 

John came up behind her and settled his hands on her shoulders, staring at her reflection with complete adoration. “No buts.” He bent and pressed a kiss to one side of her neck. “You’re beautiful.” Another kiss to the other side of her neck. “And perfect.” 

“And my new dress hides a multitude of sins.” 

“Nothin’ to hide, as far as I’m concerned.” 

***

“Rose, stop fussing!” Nancy ordered, as she put the finishing touches to Rose’s curls. “You look amazing, and we’re all so glad to have you back!” 

Rose made a show of taking a deep breath, and stilling her hands on the make up table. 

“There. That’s better,” Nancy said, grinning impishly. 

“Thanks,” Rose replied tremulously. 

There was a deferential knock on the door, then Ianto stuck his head inside. He was wearing both twins in a double carrier over his usual impeccable three piece suit and tie. “This is your thirty minute call, ladies. Oh, and I have a special delivery for you, Rose,” he added, presenting her with two tiny nosegays of pink rosebuds. “From your two biggest fans.” 

Rose stood and kissed both her daughters’ heads, then Ianto’s cheek. “And my two biggest fans two resident godfathers had nothing to do with it?” she laughed. 

“Nothing whatsoever,” Ianto replied, deadpan. 

“Be good for Uncle Ianto. And don’t drool on his suit,” Rose advised the baby in the back pouch (who happened to be doing just that). 

***

John watched his monitor intently as the ringmaster introduced the Remarkable Rosita and Rolando, wincing slightly at the latter moniker. The touch of a button on his console, and the audience was treated to a flash of thunder and lightning, heralding Jack’s miraculous appearance in the center ring. 

Jack was dressed in a white tailcoat, with a stripe of royal blue sequins down the outside of his trouser legs, and a matching cummerbund and bowtie. He carried a gold topped walking stick and a dazzlingly sequined top hat. The act began with a few simple parlour tricks - ‘walking’ his hat up and down his arm, producing a brilliant blue silk handkerchief from an empty hand, and turning his walking stick into a bouquet of white roses. He made a show of getting down on one knee and offering the flowers to another flash of thunder and lightning, which revealed Rose. 

After all their time together, all the rehearsals and tech run throughs, and costume fittings, the sight of Rose still dazzled him. Her gown was a dazzling confection of white satin and royal blue sequins and marabou. The long, full skirt flared out around her dramatically as she and Jack waltzed around the ring in a series of graceful lifts and twirls. 

As they took their bows, the ring master handed Jack a bouquet of one dozen pink and yellow roses, which he presented to Rose with a flourish and bow. She smiled and sank into a deep curtsy, even as her eyes sought out the house camera, so she could smile, just for John.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the lovely tenroseforeverandever! 
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*

Astrid Peth watched the aerial practice with rapt attention. She jumped to her feet clapping wildly as Rose finished her routine. “Oh, that was just brilliant!” she exclaimed. 

“Thanks, love,” Rose replied, grinning as she reached for her towel. “What you think, Nancy? Almost there?” 

“Almost,” Nancy agreed. “Next week’s show, maybe?” 

Rose nodded. “Martha cleared me. Whenever I’m ready, she said.” 

“I wish I could do that,” Astrid said, handing them bottles of water. 

“Give it a go,” Rose invited. 

“Come on,” Nancy added, beckoning her into the ring. 

“Oh…I couldn’t. It’s not my place,” Astrid stammered, looking down. 

“What?” Rose exclaimed. 

“I’m just a concession worker.” 

“’Oo told you that?” Nancy demanded pugnaciously. 

“Reinette,” Astrid muttered. “Anyway, I’m not sure I…”

“Yeah, well, Reinette’s not here anymore,” Rose said firmly. “We are, and we say you’ll never know until you try.” 

“Ms. Smith might not approve,” Astrid protested, as Rose took her arm to guide her inside the ring, and Nancy stacked a couple more mats under the rig. 

“The only thing Ms. Smith disapproves of is wasted potential,” Sarah Jane announced from the corner where she’d been quietly observing. “Anyone who works for me is entirely welcome - encouraged, even - to take advantage of any opportunity to learn any aspect of this business that interests them. After all, what better place to dream than a circus?”


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **_*~*~*~*~*~*_ **
> 
> **_Thank you to the lovely tenroseforeverandever!_ **
> 
> **_*~*~*~*~*~*_ **

“But are you sure you‘ll be all right?” Rose asked **_again._** “Maybe we shouldn’t -”

“Rose, we are two fairly capable, intelligent adults,” Jack said as he gently pried Allie out of her arms, “I think we can manage to look after two babies for one evening.” 

“Besides,” Ianto added, shifting Jackie so he could dig his mobile out of his pocket, “we’ve got you on speed dial. Also Martha, Nancy, and Emergency Services.” 

“That’s not entirely reassuring,” John informed him, settling his hands on Rose’s shoulders. 

“Will you two go already?” Jack griped. “You’re gonna miss your reservation. We’ll be fine. They love us, don’t’cha, girls?” 

“Speak for yourself,” Ianto muttered, staring darkly at a small smudgy handprint on his shirt front. 

“Come on, Rose,” John said firmly, guiding his wife out the door. 

Once outside, Rose drew in a deep breath and wrapped both hands around his arm. “I’m just being silly, right?” 

“You’re being a mum,” John replied, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. “Have I mentioned how beautiful you look?” 

She grinned mischievously. “Maybe. But feel free to mention it again any time you like.” 

“I’ve always loved that dress.” 

It was her wedding dress, deep sapphire blue, with fluttery cap sleeves, a wrap front that was snugged at one hip with a jeweled clasp, and a skirt formed of layers of sheer silk that swirled around her legs. 

“Well, I did get it for one of the happiest days of my life.” 

“Not the very happiest?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. 

“Happiest day with just the two of us,” she clarified. “Did I mention you’re looking quite dashing yourself, Mr. Tyler-Smith?” 

“I clean up well enough I suppose. Not that anyone’ll notice. Not when I’m standing next to you.” 

***

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Ianto demanded, raising his voice to be heard over the din of Allie’s wails. 

“How hard can it be to change a nappy?” Jack griped. 

“Very, from the sound of things. I really don’t think you should be using those words in front of the girls.” 

“I don’t suppose you’d care to help?” 

“Nope,” he replied, popping the ‘p.’ “Might wake this one up. Want me to call Martha or Nancy?” 

“Call me or Nancy for what?” Martha asked from the doorway. 

“Martha Jones! Voice of a nightingale!” Jack greeted her with an ingratiating smile. 

She just sighed and rolled her eyes. “Budge over,” she commanded, taking in the situation with a glance. “Do you know where Rose keeps the clean onesies?” 

“She left a big bag of whatever we might need,” Ianto offered. 

“Well? Fetch me one!” 

The Welshman hurried to obey. Martha muttered a few more things it was probably just as well they didn’t quite catch as she quickly got Allie cleaned up. Jack donned his most charming expression as he held out his hands for the baby. Martha glanced at him through narrowed eyes and ordered him to go wash. 

***

The restaurant was small, but lovely and elegant, with white linen, and candles, and subdued music. 

“D’you think we ought to check in?” Rose asked, as the plates from the first course were being cleared. 

“They’re fine, Rose,” John said soothingly, for what seemed the hundredth time. “Got my phone right here, see? No messages, and no missed calls. Would you please just relax?” 

“Right. Sorry.” 

She offered a rather jittery smile, and John reached across the table for her hand, gently pressing a kiss to her knuckles. 

***

“Why won’t they go to sleep?” Ianto whinged. 

“How’d you like to get dropped in a dark room all by yourself?” Nancy asked sharply, letting herself into the trailer. 

“I’d like it very much, thanks,” Jack replied. 

“Yeah, well so would everyone else! You can hear these two all over the lot!” She shoved past the two men into the bedroom. Bending down, she lifted Jackie from her cot. “There you are, love,” she cooed, settling the little one against her shoulder. “It’s all right…Nancy’s got you now.” She rubbed the baby’s back soothingly, at the same time jerking her head towards the second cot. Jackie hiccupped, then gurgled quietly. 

Ianto gingerly picked up Allie. She continued to fuss for a bit, then decided that she quite liked his tie, and clutched it in her tiny hands. 

“They’re babies,” Nancy informed them in a much softer voice. “You can’t just announce that it’s bedtime and plop them down all alone in the dark.” 

“So you mean we’ve got to-?” Jack asked, dismayed. 

“Yes!” Nancy replied, exasperated, as she pressed the baby into his arms. 

***

John and Rose looked up, surprised, as the maitre’d appeared at their table with the dessert cart. 

“Sir, madam, I do trust you’ll forgive us, but the servers overheard a bit of conversation that led us to understand that this was your first night out after a very precious new arrival. Please enjoy dessert, on the house.” 

“Thank you, that’s very kind,” John murmured, offering his phone, which of course had a picture of both girls as the background. 

“My word! Very precious indeed. My congratulations, and do enjoy the rest of your evening.” 

***

“It’s awfully quiet,” Rose remarked, as they neared their trailer. 

“It’s after midnight, Rose. Most people prefer awfully quiet.” 

“D’you think they’re all right?” 

“I’m sure they’re fine, and what’s more, we’ll find out for certain in just a moment, bur first…” 

“First?” Rose asked, tipping her head to the side, with a teasing twinkle in her eyes. 

“First, I’d like to kiss you goodnight.” 

And he did just that, sweeping his arms around her, as Rose stretched up on her toes to meet him. They were at it for long enough that she half expected someone to lean out and tell them to get a room. They were both a bit breathless when they finally parted. 

“Still got the moves?” John said, smirking. 

“Always,” Rose replied, her eyes shining as she reached up to straighten his tie. 

John held the door for Rose to precede him into the trailer, but he nearly trod on her heels, when she stopped just inside the door. Then he saw why. 

Jack was sprawled in his recliner with a baby draped on his chest, and a book dangling from his fingers. Ianto was propped on a padded bench seat with the other baby. The trailer was surprisingly neat. 

Ianto cracked one eye open blearily as Rose gently lifted the sleeping child from his arms. “You could have put them to bed, you know,” she whispered softly. 

Jack rubbed his eye as John deftly collected the second baby. “Oh well, you know…they’re babies. You can’t just announce that it’s bedtime and plop them down all alone on the dark.”


	23. Chapter 23

_‘I really should have gotten more sleep,’_ was Rose’s last coherent thought, as she slipped from her rig. 

***

“Astrid!” Harriet called, bustling into the concession area. “Whatever it is you’re doing, leave it.” 

“I don’t understand?” Astrid stammered, hastily setting down a case of candy. “Am I in some sort of trouble?”

“Not at all. You need to go see Gwen and Tosh right now, to be fitted for a costume.” 

“A costume?” Astrid repeated, dazed. 

“Yes, a costume. Clyde, Rani, come here and finish setting this up. You’ll be running the concession tonight. I’ll find someone to supervise. Astrid, come along now!” 

“I don’t understand, Ms. Jones.” 

“For heaven’s sake, call me Harriet! Rose has taken a bit of a tumble, and you need to go on tonight.” 

“Me? But Sky and Rani are much better than I am.” 

“Sky and Rani are minors, and our liability insurance doesn’t cover underage performers at a paid performance. This is your chance, my dear,” she added warmly. 

“My chance,” Astrid repeated, eyes shining. 

Harriet nodded, then braced herself as the younger woman flung herself into her arms. 

“I won’t let you down, Ms. - Harriet,” Astrid promised. 

“I know you won’t. Off with you, now. As soon as you’ve found something to wear, go see Nancy.” 

***

“But I don’t know how to -” Astrid faltered.

“Don’t worry about what you don’t know,” Nancy counseled, “just concentrate on doing what you do know, as best as you can, all right? Clean execution. Jack will fill in any gaps with his storytelling and whatnot.” 

“Breath, and smile,” Jack added. “We’ll make this work.” 

“Breath and smile,” Astrid repeated. 

***

They’d gotten through two run-throughs when John appeared in the tent, looking as though he’d aged ten years in the last couple of hours.

“John, how is she?” Jack demanded, hurrying over to his friend. 

“Fine. Just a mild concussion. The doctors say I can bring her home in the morning.” 

“Thank God,” Jack breathed, clapping him on the shoulder. 

“What happened?” Astrid asked timidly. 

John scrubbed a hand over his face wearily. “The girls were fussing last night. Most of the night, actually.” 

“I thought she looked too tired,” Nancy fussed. 

“Not your fault,” John told her firmly. “Not anyone’s fault. It was just an accident. Where are the girls?” 

“Gwen and Tosh have them in the wardrobe,” Astrid offered. 

“You goin’ on tonight?” John asked. 

Astrid nodded. 

“You’ll do just fine,” John assured her. “Rose’ll be so proud when I tell her.” 

“Really?”

“Really.”


	24. Chapter 24

Rose awoke slowly to the sound of someone crying. Her eyes drifted automatically to the two cots, but both stood empty. Dimly, she recollected that her girls were spending the day in the wardrobe with Gwen and Tosh. The two insisted that it was no trouble, as all of Anwen’s paraphernalia was already there. Besides, the deep, tearing sobs Rose was hearing couldn’t possibly be voiced by a months-old infant. John, then. 

She slid out of bed. Wobbling slightly before she found her balance, Rose padded out into the main room of the trailer. 

John was huddled in his recliner, hunched in on himself with the force of his sobs. 

“John,” she whispered, tears filling her own eyes at the sight of his misery. 

He looked up, sucking in a ragged breath, and trying to compose himself. She looked so impossibly young and fragile, standing there in a soft cotton sleep set, with bare feet, and tousled hair. “I’m sorry, love. I’m so sorry. I’ve woken you…” 

Rose crossed the room and slid onto his lap before John could collect himself enough to rise. “What is it? What’s wrong?” 

“I could have lost you,” John gasped, struggling to get enough oxygen into his lungs. 

“But you didn’t,” Rose murmured, stroking her fingers soothingly against his scalp. “’M right here. Bad penny, me.” 

John’s arms tightened convulsively around her waist. “When I saw you lyin’ there…” 

“John. It was an accident. Just a stupid accident. My own fault, for not slowin’ down and takin’ a nap.” 

“I could have lost you, Rose. I don’t know what I’d ever do if that happened.” 

Rose took his face firmly in her hands and tilted it to meet her gaze. “You’d go on,” she told him firmly. “Just like I would if…” She paused a moment, to get her own emotions under control. “You’d go on, because it’s not just us anymore; there’s two little people dependin’ on us. Just know that I made my choice a long time ago, and I’m never going to leave you. Not willingly. And if…if somethin’ ever does happen, just know this: I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” 

“You astonish me,” John finally whispered. “You’ve always been the strong one…when did you get so wise?” 

“Good company, I s’pose. Come to bed, love. You’re knackered.” 

“I don’t want to disturb you. You need rest.” 

“So do you. And I rest better when you’re with me.”


	25. Chapter 25

The post-show hush was settling over the campground as John made his way home. He shucked his boots and jacket in the front room, and padded into the bedroom on sock feet. As always, the sight of Rose made him catch his breath in wonder. It didn’t matter that his flannel shirt swamped her small frame, or that her hair were mussed - she was gorgeous. 

Allie was asleep in her cot, guarded by a softly purring Merlin. 

“Merlow?” the cat inquired, blinking up at him with round, golden eyes. 

“Hush, you,” John replied quietly. 

The cat stretched regally, then hopped out of the cot and padded over to the big bed. 

John bent and kissed Rose softly, then carefully extricated Jackie from her arms to settle the baby in her own cot. 

“How was the show?” Rose mumbled drowsily. 

“Well enough,” John replied. 

He sat on the foot of the bed and began to gently massage the tension out of her feet and calves. 

“That feels wonderful,” she groaned, still not opening her eyes entirely. 

John chuckled quietly and leaned over to drop a kiss on her knee. Sometimes, it was hard to decide who did a better job of purring - his wife, or their cat. 

“How was your day?” he wanted to know. 

“I had a rehearsal with Jack. Just dancing,” she hastened to add. “But I do need to get there up again. Soon.” 

“I know, love” John sighed. “Just, please promise me -”

“I’ll be careful. I will.” 

John gave Rose’s feet one last caress, then spritzed them with some of his wonderful lavender and peppermint concoction. Merlin sneezed twice and shot him a disgusted look, before retreating to Rose for some cuddles. 

“Turncoat,” John muttered as he quickly changed into his jimjams. He settled in next to Rose and set about undoing the remnants of the French braids that held her hair back from her face. 

She hummed contentedly at the feel of his fingers combing through her hair. “A girl could get spoiled by all this attention.” 

“That’s the idea.” He slid down and gathered her close in his arms. “Rose…you know, don’t you…you and the girls are the most precious things in my world.” 

Rose turned in his embrace. “Of course I know. You’ve worked so hard, and given up so much for us.” 

“I’ve not given up anything I’d ever miss.” 

Rose bit her lip, and reached up a hand to trace her fingers over his cheekbone. “John, do you want me to quit?”

“No! No, love. You can **_fly._** I could never ask you to give that up.” 

“You’re not askin,’ I’m offerin.’” 

John sucked in a deep breath. He turned his face slightly to press a kiss into her palm. “No, I can’t ask you to quit. Just please be careful. That’s all.” 

“If it ever gets to be too much for you -”

“I’ll say. I promise. Now, why don’t you try to rest a little before one of them decides to wake up?” 

“I love you,” Rose whispered, turning over and hugging his arm across her chest. 

“Love you, too,” John murmured into her hair.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the lovely tenroseforeverandever for putting up with the babblings of a stressed-out nutjob! (Yep, that would be me…)
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*

It was the sound of Rose‘s voice, humming softly, that drew John into the empty tent. He watched, entranced, as she whirled around the center ring. Her arms were extended, as of she were dancing with Jack, and he knew the short pauses here and there were lifts. He didn’t care that she was wearing a ratty tee shirt tied up at her waist, or that her hair was piled haphazardly on top of her head with a plastic clip. 

She was lovely. And she was his bride, and he was standing entirely too far away from her. 

Rose was caught up in her music and steps, and was oblivious to his silent approach. He paused a moment, to catch the tune. 

_“When I‘m alone as, blue as can be,”_ he sang in a slightly gravely voice. 

Rose spun around with a delighted grin on her face. “Dance with me,” she entreated, holding out her hand. 

John usually found some excuse to avoid any sort of formal dancing, especially anywhere he might be seen. He always felt too big and clumsy, terrified of stepping on her toes. But now, his resistance crumbled in the face of her smile, and he found himself clambering into the ring, and into Rose’s outstretched arms. 

“Sorry,” he mumbled, “not as good at this as Jack.” 

“You’re perfect,” Rose replied, swaying contentedly in his embrace. “And you’re never alone.” Still humming, she suddenly twirled away from him, laughing as he pulled her in close again. She leaned up and kissed him quickly. 

_“But in your dreams, whatever they be-”_

_“Dream a little dream of me,”_ they finished together. 

Rose stepped up onto the ring, then gracefully fell back into John’s outstretched arms. He laughed joyously as he whirled her around. 

***

Ianto Jones spotted Jack, peeking through the tent flap, and humming softly. 

“Don’t suppose you know where John or Rose might be?” he asked, sounding a bit harried. “Only these two are getting a bit fussy.” He indicated the two babies he was wearing. 

“Rose and John are busy right now,” Jack replied, enigmatically, as he lifted one baby from the back pouch. He cuddled her, still humming. 

“Busy doing what?” 

Jack just shot him a look. 

“Oh. What are we going to do with these two?” 

“Care to dance?” Jack asked, extending his free arm, with a roguish grin. 

It was a bit awkward, what with there being four of them, but then, Jack always was quite flexible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *~*~*~*~*~*
> 
> Dream a Little Dream, by The Mamas and the Papas


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the lovely tenroseforeverandever who makes *wonderful* suggestions…which I then tinker with. 
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*

John Tyler-Smith **_loved_** his recliner. True, it was absurdly large for their trailer, but it did come in handy when caring for whichever twin decided they didn’t want to sleep when everyone else did. It was also ideal for sitting and cuddling with his wife. Or, in this case, kissing her rather enthusiastically. 

At least until a tiny whimpering voice broke the spell. Smiling softly, Rose pushed gently against his chest and moved to stand up. John instinctively tightened his arms around her. 

“Stay.” 

Rose bit her lip and glanced over her shoulder towards the other room. “But, John…”

“Give her a minute to settle down,” he suggested, rubbing his hands in circles on her back. 

“You think?” 

“I do.” He leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose. 

Rose giggled and began to relax…and then a second tiny voice raised in protest. 

Merlin padded out to them, switching his tail. “Merlow!” he informed them sternly.


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *~*~*~*~*~*
> 
> Many thanks to the lovely tenroseforeverandever, Dev, and the ladies of BWR. 
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*

“Oh, excuse me! I do beg your pardon, but do you know where I might find Ms. Smith or Ms. Jones? Or perhaps that nice young man with the suit?” 

John Tyler-Smith’s first impression was of a happy gnome. An older, slightly balding, slightly shabby gnome, with a kind expression. 

“Oh, I do beg your pardon,” the man continued, as John turned and he could see the baby in her pouch. “I saw your jacket and mistook you for a security guard. I am frightfully sorry.” 

“No worries,” John replied easily. “At least one of them should be in the office. I’ll walk you.” 

“You work here, then?” 

“John Tyler-Smith, Head of IT. Well, officially, all of IT.” 

“I’m Mr. Copper, and I must say, that’s quite the little beauty you’ve got there.” 

“Thanks,” John replied, looking down at his daughter with the gentle smile that only Rose and the girls could draw out of him. “She takes after her mum. Fortunately.” He looked shrewdly at his companion, as the name fell into place in his mind. “You’re the gentleman who’s been providin’ for all the youth groups to see the show and attend circus camp.” 

“Well, yes. You see, I’m all alone. No family, never made much of myself, but then, one day, I won the lottery. Quite a big one, as it happens. And…well…I like to make people happy. And now I can.” 

“Then I’d say you’ve made more of your life than most people.” 

“Hello John! Mr. Copper!” Astrid greeted them cheerfully. 

“You’ve met, then?” John asked curiously. 

“Well, yes. It wouldn’t be a proper trip to the circus without sweets and popcorn for the children, now would it?” Mr. Copper mumbled, turning a bit pink around the ears. 

“Have you seen Sarah Jane or Harriet?” John asked. 

“Sarah Jane’s in the tent, and Harriet‘s in the office,” Astrid offered. “Is there something we can help with?” 

“Well, you see,” Mr. Copper began, “there’s a children’s home nearby; special needs children. Some of them are quite afraid of crowds, others can’t handle too much in the way of bright lights or noises, so I was wondering if it would be possible to do a sort of special performance for them? Something a bit smaller and quieter?” 

“I expect we can arrange something,” John said thoughtfully. 

“Maybe Jack and Rose could do their routine?” Astrid suggested brightly. “Little girls just love that. Oh, and what about face painting?” 

“That’s the ticket!” Mr. Copper agreed. 

***

“Is this about what you had in mind?” Sarah Jane asked, looking on at the group of happy children laughing, twirling around the ring with Rose and Jack, or sitting in the front row, having their faces painted by Rani and Maria. 

Martha hovered nearby, chatting with the attendants from the children’s home. 

“It’s splendid! Just splendid!” Mr. Copper replied cheerily. “I trust my check was adequate?” 

“Very generous. Thank you.” 

“My pleasure. I’m just so fascinated by this place! People dream about running off to join the circus when they’re children, but you wonderful people - you’ve actually done it!” 

“Well, it’s not the life for everyone, but it suits us,” John said quietly. 

“Isn’t it hard, though, raising your children while moving about all the time?” There was no censure in his voice, only curiosity. 

“Well, twin infants would be hard anywhere,” John replied, chuckling. “Especially when one of them decides to be vocal at two thirty in the morning. But I drag myself out of bed, and pick her up, and those little eyes look right at me, and she smiles…well, there‘s nowhere else I‘d rather be.” 

“They’ve got you wrapped around those tiny, little fingers,” Sarah Jane said, smirking. 

“And the older children, they’re all home schooled?” 

“Technically, yes. I‘m afraid none of our finances run to boarding school fees. There is a group of kids close enough in age that they can do lessons together. John handles a lot of distance learning programs for them.” 

Mr. Copper looked thoughtful. “I wonder if you’d permit me to organize an excursion for the youngsters? Dunster has a wonderful medieval village and castle. Surely that could be worked into your lesson plans some way?” 

“I - well, that would be lovely!” Sarah Jane exclaimed. 

“Splendid! I’ll hire a motorcoach, shall I? Make it a family outing?” 

“Thank you,” John replied, shaking his hand warmly. “That’s very kind of you.” 

“Nonsense, my dear chap. It’s my pleasure.” 

***

“You’re sure we won’t be a disruption?” Rose asked yet again. 

“No,” Sarah Jane informed her rather firmly. “Mr. Copper intended this as a family outing, and you’re part of the family. All four of you.” 

“How come Rose an’ John are sleeping?” Jamie asked a while later. 

“Because that’s what people do when they have new babies,” Nancy informed him. “They fall asleep any time they get the chance to sit still for five minutes.” 

“Did you do that too, when I was little?” 

“Oh, yes,” Nancy replied. “Now hush.” 

She smiled gently at the picture her friends made. They were seated side by side, each wearing a baby. Their hands were intertwined on the arm rest, and Rose’s head rested against John’s shoulder. 

The baby John was holding suddenly lifted her head and began looking around, drooling on her daddy in the process. John cracked one eye open blearily and whispered to her. She giggled in response. 

***

Rose bumped her shoulder against John’s, grinning. “You. Me. A beautiful castle.” 

“And a squalling baby,” John retorted, bouncing Allie gently in an attempt to calm her. “You should go on; catch up with the others.” 

“Nowhere else we’d rather be. Isn’t that right, Jackie?” 

John rolled his eyes as Jackie chortled. Allie blurbled, then hiccupped. 

“There now. That wasn’t so hard was it?” 

“You don’t really expect her to answer, do you?” Rose chuckled. 

“Maybe. She’s as clever as her mum…wouldn’t surprise me at all if she started talking in full sentences any day now.” 

“You’re daft!” 

“And you married me. What’s that say about you?” 

“That I’m the luckiest woman in the world.”


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, as always, to the lovely tenroseforeverandever. 
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*

“Bloody hell,” John grumbled, turning irritably away from the inquisitive, whiskered nose that was poked right up against his own. “Will you **_please_** just pick a spot?” he implored. 

“Whassa matter?” Rose slurred. 

“Nothin,’ love.” He grunted as Merlin proceeded to walk over his stomach. How the **_hell_** did a ten pound cat weigh that much?

“’lo Merlin… **OW!”** Rose suddenly shrieked. 

There was a startled cry from one of the cots, and Rose and John groaned in unison. 

“I’m sorry, but he stepped on my boob, and it **_hurt.”_**

“S’all right. I’ll get her.” John wearily swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. 

Merlin peeked his face out from under the hanging edge of the quilt, where he’d retreated, then cautiously stepped out to wind around John’s ankles. 

“You. I’m buyin’ you a cat bed in the morning.” 

“No, you’re not,” Rose chuckled, holding out her arms for the baby. 

“No, I’m not,” John admitted with a sigh. 

***

“Come in!” Sarah Jane called crisply, in response to the timid knock on the office trailer door. 

Astrid Peth entered, glancing nervously around at the other occupants of the room. “You asked for me?” 

“We certainly did,” Harriet Jones replied, smiling. “Do come in and sit down.” 

Sarah Jane looked to Rose. “Would you care to do the honors?” 

Rose grinned and winked at Astrid. “You’re going to love this, I promise. I’m sure you’ve heard by now, Nancy will be leaving us at the end of our stay here.” 

“She got it? The job with the film?” Astrid asked. “Oh, that’s wonderful!” 

“She’s going to be a stunt double for an underage actress. It was too good an opportunity to miss. But that means we need another acrobat and flyer.” 

“You mean…me?” Astrid asked slowly. 

“Yeah. You,” Rose replied, smiling even brighter, if such a thing was possible. 

“But…I…” 

“You can,” Rose informed her firmly. 

“We believe in you,” John added, just as firmly. 

“All of us,” Sarah Jane concurred. “Congratulations!” 

“Anything else today?” Harriet asked. 

Rhys Williams, Gwen’s husband, spoke up. “I’ve got an estimate on the repairs for the big lorry. It’s not cheap, but it’ll keep her running for another year or two, and it’s a lot less than a replacement.” 

Harriet sighed. “Well, I don’t see as we have much choice in the matter.” 

“I’d an inquiry from the Mr. Copper Foundation, about where to direct a shipment,” Ianto announced. 

“Shipment of what?” Sarah Jane asked. 

“No idea. It’s all quite mysterious.” 

“He’s such a nice fellow,” Astrid interjected. 

“Yes, he certainly is,” Sarah Jane agreed. “Go ahead and give him our schedule.” 

“And I suppose we’ll be needing someone for the concession,” Harriet added. 

“We can always hire locally for a while,” Sarah Jane pointed out. “It’s what we did before we found Astrid.” 

“I agree,” Harriet replied. “We may as well wait to find someone who truly belongs here. It’s usually worth it.”


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *~*~*~*~*~*
> 
> Thank you, as always, to the lovely tenroseforeverandever. 
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*

Rhys Williams stepped in front of the fellow who was about to duck under the rope line. “Sorry. You’ve got to stay behind the rope.” 

“But I just wanted to see-” 

“I know. You and everyone else. Tickets are on sale on the website.” 

“But that’s my niece.” 

Rhys kept his ‘friendly, professional’ smile plastered firmly in place. “Well, you’ve still got to wait until they finish filming the promo, haven‘t you?” 

“Problem?” John asked, stepping over. 

“Oh, John…this fella says he’s Rose’s uncle!” 

“Really,” John replied, his usual scowl deepening. “She’s never mentioned an uncle.” 

“Eddie Prentice, Rose Tyler’s uncle,” the stranger informed them, extending his hand. “And who might you be?” 

“John Tyler-Smith. Her husband.” 

***

Eddie fidgeted while Rose and Jack stood for photos with local children. “Look, I just want to say hello to my niece.” 

“You can wait until she’s finished,” John informed him curtly. Something about the man just rubbed him the wrong way. 

Finally, Rose walked over, leaning up to kiss John’s cheek as he produced a bottle of water from his jacket pocket. 

“How was it?” 

“Well, I must say, my wife’s work looked lovely,” Rhys joked. 

John absently smacked him in the arm. “You were gorgeous, as always.” He dropped a kiss to Rose’s forehead. 

A throat was cleared behind him. 

“Hello,” Rose said, instantly snapping back into ‘gracious and charming for the public’ mode. 

“Don’t you know me, Rosie?” 

“I’m sorry-?” 

“I know it’s been a while. Look at you! All grown up, and as beautiful as your mum! And I hear this fella is your husband.” 

“Uncle Eddie?” she asked uncertainly. 

“Don’t I get a hug from my favorite niece?” 

“Of course,” Rose replied brightly, although her smile seemed a bit brittle around the edges. 

She stepped forward for a brief hug, then retreated back to John’s side. He noticed, and slipped his arm reassuringly around her waist. 

Rose fortified herself with a big gulp of water. “It’s wonderful to see you. We’ll have to have dinner while we’re in town, and catch up. But if you’ll excuse me, I really do need to go get changed.” 

“We’ll get you a comp for opening night,” John offered, as they moved away. 

Rhys stood implacably at the rope line until the other man took the hint and left. 

***

“You never mentioned an uncle,” John said gently, watching Rose cuddle the babies in his recliner. 

“I…honestly, I never was even sure if he was still alive. I only ever saw him a few times. Mum always just said he was away, then suddenly he’d turn up like Father Christmas - big dollhouse when I was seven, red bicycle when I was twelve, a stack of the latest CDs when I was sixteen, that sort of thing. When I was very little, I used to imagine that maybe he was a soldier, or a spy, or something wonderful like that.” 

“Rose, was he in prison?” 

“I don’t actually know. Mum never said, an’ it’s not like I can ask her now.” 

John sat on the arm of the recliner and bent to kiss the top of her head. “I’m sorry, love. It’s just…we’ve got these two to worry about now, and something seems off about this fellow.” 

Rose’s expression was troubled as she rested her cheek on little Jackie’s head. “I know…but…he **_is_** Mum’s brother, and it’s not like we’ve got an excess of family between the two of us.” 

***

“So, how on earth do you manage twins in a trailer?” Eddie asked over a lively supper at the diner. 

“We manage just fine,” John said shortly, trying to convey a spoonful of cereal into Allie. 

Rose shot him a look, then smiled at her uncle. “What John means is, there’s lots of families with kids in the caravan. We all look out for each other.” 

“Of course you do. Can’t I hold one of my grand nieces?” 

“Probably not a good idea right now,” Rose hedged. “You don’t want to get all full of spit up and cereal. Besides, they can take a while to warm up to new people.” 

“You let those circus people cart them around all the time.” 

“Those circus people have been a constant presence in their lives from the day they were born,” John retorted “Tell me again, exactly how much time you spent with Rose when she was growing up?” 

“John,” Rose said pleadingly. 

“Now, let’s not rehash the past, all right?” Eddie said smoothly. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there more for Rosie and Jackie, but she turned out all right, didn’t she? And I’m sorry it took me so long to find you again. I mean, I went back to that town, and was told that my sister had passed, and my niece had run off to the city with some fella.” 

“I ran off to the city, and I got an education, and a career, and a family. What ‘bout you? What were you doin’ all that time?” 

“Now, Rosie, let’s just enjoy this time together as a family.” 

“I…of course, Uncle Eddie. No sense fightin’ over things that can’t be fixed.” 

***

“You’ll be pleased to know that I’ve hired someone to manage the concession for this run,” Harriet announced at the staff meeting. 

“Thank God,” Ianto muttered fervently. He absolutely **_hated_** getting popcorn drippings on his suits. 

“Someone local?” John asked. 

“Yes, as a matter of fact. A Mr. Eddie Prentice. He listed Rose as a contact…said she was his niece.” 

“I really wish you hadn’t done that,” John said quietly. 

“Why not?” Rose hissed. 

John turned slightly, facing Rose, and reached out for his wife’s hand. “Rose, I ran a background check on Eddie. He was in prison. Most of his adult life, as it happens.” 

“What for?” Sarah Jane asked in a carefully neutral voice. 

“Armed robbery. Auto theft. Assault. I’m sorry, Rose. She didn’t know,” he added, to the room at large. 

Sarah Jane and Harriet exchanged uncertain glances. 

“Well, the law does not preclude hiring someone with a criminal record,” Harriet said slowly. “Rose?” 

She shook her head, on the verge of tears. “I can’t…he’s family.” 

“Of course,” Sarah Jane said thoughtfully. “Well, I do believe that everyone’s entitled to a second chance. This could be just what he needs to set his life on the right path.” 

“He’d be handling money,” John said. 

“Under supervision.” 

“I don’t like it.” 

Rose suddenly bolted out of her seat and ran out of the trailer. John followed. He caught up to her out near the dumpsters. Her arms were wrapped around her midsection, and she was sobbing. He stopped just short of touching her. 

“Rose.” 

“You had to just **_say that?_** In front of everyone?” 

“It’s not as if I had a choice in the matter,” he retorted. “I didn’t know he’d applied for the job, much less that Harriet would just hire him like that.” 

“He’s **_family_** , John. He’s all I’ve got left of my mum.” 

“That’s not true, Rose,” John said firmly, taking a step closer. “You carry your mum in your heart, and you see a little bit of her every day, in our girls.” 

“I miss my mum, so much, sometimes.” 

John reached out and wrapped his arms tight around Rose, pulling her in close to his chest. “I know you do, love. And I know that this man is your uncle, but the truth is, he’s a dangerous person. I don’t want him around you, or our children. Or our friends’ children.” 

Rose raised her tearstained face. “You don’t think he deserves a chance?” 

“Not when it puts you or our girls at risk.” 

Rose pulled out of his arms. “You killed people in a war. Doesn’t that make ** _you_** a dangerous person? Maybe I shouldn’t have given you a chance.” 

***

The trailer was dark when John walked inside. 

“I shouldn’t have said that,” Rose murmured, in a small voice. She was curled in his recliner, as he knew she would be. “’M sorry.” 

“I know. So am I.” 

“What are we gonna do?” 

John sighed heavily. “I’d say that’s up to your uncle. Sarah Jane sat him down and spoke to him. He’s got a chance at a fresh start here, if he’s willing to work hard and take it.” 

Rose stood and padded over to John on bare feet. Her eyes were very vulnerable as she looked up at him. “D’you think he will?” 

“I don’t know,” John sighed. “If he has even a fraction of his niece’s strength and courage, he could accomplish anything.” 

“’M sorry,” Rose repeated, slipping both arms around his waist and laying her cheek against his heartbeat.

“I know.” 

“I love you.” 

“I know that, too.” 

***

“What have we got here?” John asked, inspecting the day’s small freight deliveries. 

“Wardrobe supplies for my lovely wife…couple cases of nappies for yours,” Rhys replied. “Oi! Eddie! That lot on the flatbed is for concessions. I’ll help you shift it.” 

“What’s this?” John asked, pointing to a small stack of cartons marked fragile. 

“Dunno. It’s to your attention, though.” He carefully slit open the pouch containing the packing list and passed it to John. 

A broad grin lightened John’s features. 

“What is it, then?” 

“Laptops, for the kids. All the kids. To use for their distance learning programs. A gift from Mr. Copper.” 

“Who’s Mr. Copper?” Eddie asked. 

John glanced over at him with a shrewd expression. “Mr. Copper was a travelin’ salesman most of his life, never accomplished much, or had anyone. But then, he was given a second chance, and he’s been using it to make people happy, and leave this world a better place than he found it.” 

“Well…he sounds like quite a generous fella,” Eddie replied, eyeing the cartons. 

***

“What’s wrong?” Rose asked, rolling over to see John hastily pulling on clothes in the middle of the night. The glare from the tower lights shone in through the gaps in the window curtains. 

“Security just called. The IT trailer’s been broken into.” 

“Not the kids’ new laptops?” 

“Looks like it.” 

“You think it’s him, don’t you? Just like that.” 

Sighing heavily, John sat down on the edge of their bed. He reached out to cup Rose’s face in his hand. “Rose, for your sake, I very much hope Eddie is asleep in his rooms in town, but the thing is, those laptops were special ordered for children who travel with a circus. They all have locator chips.” He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “The tower lights are all on, and the police are here, but I’m gonna lock you in anyway, just in case. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” 

Rose squeezed her eyes shut against a fresh flow of tears as he left. 

***

John held Rose tightly as she sobbed out her grief and disappointment. 

“I’m sorry, love. I’m so, so sorry,” he murmured, helpless in the face of her misery. 

“’M so stupid.” 

“You are no such thing.” 

“You knew, all along, an’ me…I was just so-” 

John pressed his fingers to her lips to stop the next word. “You’re not. You look for the best in people, and generally, you find it, or help them find it for themselves. But sometimes…sometimes, Rose, there is no best to find. We gave him a fair shot. He’s a grown man, and he made his own choices. I’m just sorry it hurt you.” 

“It’ll go badly, for him, won’t it?” 

John sighed, his instincts screaming to protect her, but knowing she needed to hear the truth. “With his record, yeah, it will.” 

Rose curled herself tighter into John’s lap. “Will you just hold me for a while?” 

“Forever, love.”


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *~*~*~*~*~*
> 
> Thank you, as always, to the lovely tenroseforeverandever. 
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*

John watched the antics of the guests at a certain table in the diner with mounting amusement. The first coffee was too hot. The next was too cold. The lettuce garnish on the plate was wilted. What do you mean, you don’t serve Texas hot sauce? On and on, until the somewhat inevitable conclusion of the harried waitress picking up a glass of water and dumping it over the woman’s head. 

He was waiting in the carpark when she exited a few minutes later, carrying her belongings. 

“I’m guessing you might be in need of a new job.” 

The girl eyed him warily. “I wasn’t born yesterday, mate.” 

“Fair dues,” John chuckled. “Let’s try again. I work for Pendragon Circus. We’re over at the fairgrounds on the edge of town. We’ve need of a concession manager. If you’re interested in the job, ask for Harriet Jones, and tell her John Tyler-Smith sent you.” 

“Why’d you want to help me?” she asked, curiosity warring with her natural defensiveness. 

John grinned. “Because you remind me a bit of my wife.” 

***

“I don’t know about this, John,” Harriet said doubtfully. “I’m almost positive she’s a runaway, not to mention a dropout.” 

“It’s a circus, Harriet. We’re all runaways. Besides, all the kids are home schooled anyway. What’s one more?” 

“Why’s this so important to you?” 

“I dunno. She’s smart and gutsy, and I think she could be so much if someone just gave a damn about her.” 

“On your own head be it.” 

***

Ace, the former waitress, gazed in awe at Rose’s aerial routine. **_“That’s_** your wife?” 

“Yup,” John said proudly. 

“And I remind you of **_her?”_**

“A bit, yeah.” 

“She’s **_beautiful.”_**

“That she is.” 

Ace cocked her head to one side, consideringly. “Could I do that?” 

“I think you can do anything you put your mind to. **_That’s_** why you remind me of Rose.” 

“Say I did want to work here. What would I have to do?” 

“You’d manage the concession. That means receiving stock and supplies, organizing it, and not assaulting our customers when they want to buy something. It also means you do schoolwork, like all the other underage kids.” 

She scowled at him. “School’s boring. That’s one of the reasons I…don’t go there anymore.” 

“If you want to work here, you’ll do lessons. The kids are all home schooled, so everyone works at their own pace. If you’re up for it, I’ll enroll you in some long distance uni courses. If you need a place to stay, there’s Nancy’s old trailer.” 

“Sounds too good to be true,” Ace muttered. 

“It’s a chance, Ace, nothing more. It is what you make of it.” 

She looked up at him and grinned. “All right, then, Professor, I’ll give it a shot.”


	32. Chapter 32

John rapped on the door to Jack and Ianto’s trailer, entering when bidden. He hesitantly raised his eyes to the screen Jack was studying, and relaxed when he realized it was a performance video. With Jack, one never knew. 

“Jack, I need a favor,” he said quietly. 

“Sure thing!” Jack replied, dropping his notebook, lowering his feet from the desk, and turning with his arms outstretched for a baby, all in one smooth motion. “Give her here.” 

“Thanks, but I don’t need a babysitter right this moment.” 

“Oh?” Jack asked, raising an eyebrow. “Then what can I do for ya?” 

“I was wondering…that is…would you teach me how to dance? **_Properly,”_** he emphasized, seeing Jack’s lascivious grin. “So I can take Rose somewhere nice for our anniversary?” 

The American chuckled gleefully. “I thought you’d never ask.” 

***

John was humming and counting under his breath as he entered the trailer. He stopped as he saw Rose curled up in his recliner with a ponderous tome open in her lap. “What you readin,’ love?” he asked curiously. 

“Oh!” she looked up, startled. “It’s um…” 

“A philosophy textbook?” he asked, recognizing one of his own well worn college books.

“Well, yeah,” she admitted, blushing. “It’s just…I want to try to understand the things you do; the things you teach the kids.” 

John leaned over to plant a kiss on the top of her head. “And I love you for it. But this, what you’re doing right now? This is trying to climb Everest alone, with just trainers on your feet.” He grabbed his laptop, and quickly placed an order, downloading an e-book. 

“You just got me Philosophy for Dummies, didn’t you?” 

He sighed heavily. “I really wish they’d picked a different name for the series. There’s nothing dumb about breaking large, complex subjects into small, manageable chunks of information. Think of this as a Sherpa, and rope, and cleats, all right? Read this, and if you find an idea or a philosopher that you want to know more about, I’ll help you. And if you decide that you never want to read anything on the topic ever again, that’s fine, too.” 

Rose grinned up at him, and John very plainly saw the _‘I love you’_ shining in her eyes. After a second, she shook herself and asked, “Were you humming when you came in?” 

“Oh, um…you know this place. Music gets stuck in your head,” John said lightly. 

A bit of baby babble drifted from the next room before she could pursue the topic. 

“I’ll get her,” John offered, passing Rose the laptop. 

She smiled at the sound of his conversation with their daughter. 

“Now, you hush, Miss Jackie. Your sister still wants to sleep a bit.” 

Jackie gurgled happily, and squirmed in his arms to be put down. 

“I think someone wants to crawl.” 

“Yeah. Just mind that she doesn’t pull Merlin’s tail.” 

“We can out his dishes up on the counter, but I think we’ll need a gate to keep them out of the litter box.” 

“Soon,” Rose agreed. 

“How’s Ace settling in with circus camp?” John wanted to know, as he settled on the floor with his wriggling daughter. 

“She doesn’t want to dance or do aerials.” 

“Really?” John asked, surprised. “She seemed to like it well enough when she was watchin’ you.” 

“Said she felt like a sack of potatoes. She really was fine for a beginner, but she got frustrated. Leela’s teaching her to throw knives.” 

John laughed heartily at that. “Maybe we won’t mention that to Sarah Jane.” 

***

The sound of baby babble distracted Ace from the screen of the laptop, and she swiveled to watch the baby happily crawling across the blanket. “Which one is that?” 

“That’s Jackie,” Rose informed her from her spot on the grass. 

“How can you tell?” 

“Jackie’s more adventurous, and likes to be the center of attention. Allie’s my little cuddle bug.” 

“They don’t do things at the same time?” Ace asked curiously. 

“Not necessarily. Why would they? They’re two different people.” 

“Guess I never really thought about babies much,” the girl muttered. 

“Would you like to hold one of them?” Rose offered. 

Ace shook her head, her face comically awash with horror. “Who’s reading Philosophy for Dummies?” she asked, turning back to the screen. 

“Me.” 

“Wow. You’re brave. That stuff sends me right off.” 

“What do you like to read?” Rose asked. 

“I like to work in a lab more than read, but I do like books about dinosaurs.” 

“Well then, we’ll keep an eye out for dinosaur museums in our travels. And sometimes, if the timing is just right, we end up near a school that lets us do lessons in their lab for a few weeks.” 

“They wouldn’t let me.” 

“An’ why’s that?” 

“Because…I sort of…blew up the chemistry lab at my school. That’s why I don’t go anymore.” 

“And what were you doing that the lab blew up?” Rose asked neutrally. 

Ace immediately launched into a detailed explanation of her experiment that left Rose’s head spinning. 

“Sounds as if your principals were correct,” John observed. Neither young woman had heard him approach, but Allie waved her little hands and smiled for him. He reached down to carefully accept her from Rose’s hands. 

“They were!” Ace insisted. “It would have worked, if the lab equipment hadn’t been from the stone age.” 

“So, next time, we’ll find you a better lab to work in,” John assured her, settling down on the grass with his wife and daughters. 

Rose reached across him to turn Jackie around as she made a grab for a very interesting - and likely very dirty - leaf. 

“Why?” Ace demanded suspiciously. 

“Because learning is important. Doesn’t matter if it’s exploring your world, readin’ up on something you know nothing about -”

“Or learning how to dance?” Ace asked, grinning. 

John winced. “Wasn’t planning on advertising that just yet, thanks.”


	33. Chapter 33

It was their anniversary. Had been, for the last ninety three minutes and thirty seven seconds. Just as John had planned, their girls were safely in the care of friends. The lights were dim, and his beautiful wife was cradled close in his arms. 

What he hadn’t planned on was Rose’s skin being clammy with sickness, and the fact that they were currently huddled together on the floor in the corner of the handicapped stall of the restroom, because they dared not move any farther from the toilet. 

“’M sorry,” Rose muttered, for at least the twelfth time that night. 

“Nothing to be sorry for,” John assured her yet again, as he smoothed her sweaty hair back from her face. 

“I know you had plans…I borrowed a dress an’ everything…” 

“It’ll keep.” 

“Oi! Any ladies about?” Rhys called from the doorway. 

“Just us,” John replied. 

There was a muffled thump, and some muttering about an infernal contraption, then Rhys appeared. “I’ve got a lounge chair here, to get her up off the floor.” 

“I could kiss you,” John stated fervently. 

“Funny. I usually only have that effect on my wife,” the Welshman quipped. 

***

It had been their anniversary for three hours and seven minutes when Martha appeared with a small cooler and a bag from an all night chemist. 

“How’s she doing?” the medic inquired softly. 

“Dozing a bit,” John replied wearily. 

“That sounds promising. I’ve got crackers, sports drinks, and some jello cups. See if you can get something into her when she wakes up.” 

“Thanks, Martha.” 

“How are you holding up?” she asked kindly. 

He shrugged. The lounge was definitely **_not_** intended for two, but it beat the floor. 

“No nausea?” 

“No.” 

“All right. It’s probably just a stomach bug. I’m going to go check on the girls.” 

***

It hadn’t been their anniversary for eight days, but Rose was finally feeling back to herself and ready for whatever adventure John had planned. She whirled as she heard him enter the trailer, still fastening an earring. 

“Will this do?” she asked, grinning. “You said a nice dress, and I borrowed this from the wardrobe.” 

The dress in question was actually quite a bit beyond ‘nice.’ It was a fifties style - strapless, with a full skirt. The bodice was a dusty rose, and the skirt layers upon layers of sheer lavender, with a sparkle of silver sequins here and there. 

Her eyes narrowed as she noticed the new tie John was wearing with the grey suit from their wedding. It was silk - silver in one light, mauve in another. 

“You knew what I was gonna wear,” she accused. 

“Might have done,” he admitted. “Doesn’t matter though. You are the most exquisite thing I’ve ever seen.” 

Rose laughed as she stepped closer, smoothing her hand down his necktie. “The last time you said that, I was wearing ratty jimjams and holdin’ a drooling baby.” 

“It was true then, and it’s true now. Happy Anniversary, Mrs. Tyler-Smith.” 

Rose moved to fling her arms around John’s neck. She was startled when he caught her hands and gently repositioned them - one on his shoulder, the other clasped gently in his own. 

“Dance with me?” he invited. 

“Forever,” she promised.


	34. Chapter 34

John juggled bags of cleaning supplies to free a hand and open the door. He was a bit surprised not to hear a vacuum running. After all, today had been declared the all-important Clean the Trailer Day. 

“Pet the kitty gently,” he heard Rose say as he entered quietly. 

“Uff!” a little voice replied. 

“That’s right,” Rose replied encouragingly. “Soft. The kitty is soft. Just so long as you don’t do ** _that,_** Jackie!” 

One wife, one cat, and two babies were sprawled happily on a wrinkled quilt on a floor that hadn’t yet been vacuumed. It was quite possibly one of the most wonderful things John had ever set eyes on. 

“Aada!” Allie exclaimed happily. 

“Yes, Allie, Daddy’s here,” John informed her, settling down and arranging his rangy limbs on the floor. “Thought we had big plans for the day,” he teased gently as Allie crawled over to him. 

Rose blushed and bit her lip in consternation. “I know…it’s just…they’re so little, and so beautiful. Sometimes, I can’t quite believe they’re really ours. I just couldn’t stick them in their playpen and ignore them to do somethin’ stupid like clean. ‘M sorry. No,” she continued defiantly, “actually, I’m not.” 

John laughed heartily at that pronouncement. He leaned forward, over cat and babies, cupped Rose’s cheek in his hand, and kissed her softly. 

“I know exactly how you feel.”


	35. Chapter 35

Rose tapped on the trailer door. “Ace? I’m goin’ into town to do the wash. Wanna come with?” 

“I know enough to do the wash!” Ace retorted through the screen. 

“No one said you didn’t,” Rose replied, in a reasonable tone. “But it’s a bit boring on my own. I thought we might go in the truck, and then take a wander around town.” 

“OK,” a more subdued voice answered. 

Ace appeared a moment later, with a mesh laundry bag slung over her shoulder. 

“Wanna tell me what’s wrong?” Rose asked gently. 

“I want to take a look at the catalogs they order the concession things from. I’ve got an idea, but Harriet doesn’t trust me. She thinks I’m just a stupid kid.” 

“Well,” Rose replied carefully, “I can see why she might be cautious about letting any new employee place orders unsupervised, but I don’t see why you shouldn’t be able to look through the catalogs. What’s your idea?” 

Ace’s eyes lit up as she launched into her explanation. “You know all those new numbers you’re rehearsin’, for the holidays? With the nutcracker ballet music? Well, I was thinking, what if we replaced the popcorn with those little paper cones of glazed nuts, and sold chocolates, and candy canes, and marzipan, like the dancers in the nutcracker story?” 

“That’s a terrific idea, an’ it’s very well thought out.” 

“How come you an’ John listen to me?” 

“We try to take people as we find them. You’ve had to make a lot of tough decisions on your own. If you’re acting like an adult, you deserve to be treated like one. Mind you, it might go down a little better with the others if you’d hold your temper.” 

***

“Because it’s not at all well thought out, that’s why!” Harriet said irritably. “You can’t just replace items willy-nilly, especially with nut products…you have to consider that members of the general public might have food allergies.” 

Ace opened her mouth to speak, and John gently kicked her foot under the table. She closed her mouth, huffed in a breath, then tried again. “What if we got half the usual amount of popcorn, and got some of the nuts, too? I just think it would be really cool to have the concession sell things that tie in to the new acts.” 

“I think Dorothy is right,” Sarah Jane decided. “She and Rose can look through the catalogs and find some items that complement the holiday acts. We’ll keep a selection of our standard bestsellers - including popcorn - and some of the items for people with food allergies, but yes…I think a display of ‘Nutcracker Sweets’ will be a wonderful addition. Well done.” 

***

“Why aren’t you inside, enjoying the dinosaurs?” Rose asked, startled to see Ace standing in the park, fidgeting awkwardly with a paper bag clutched in her hands. 

“I felt bad that you couldn’t come inside, so I brought some of the museum to you,” she explained, holding out the bag. 

“I don’t mind,” Rose laughed, catching Allie before she could crawl off the blanket. “These two are just a bit too wiggly right now for museums.” She pulled a guidebook and two stuffed dinosaurs from the bag. Jackie immediately claimed one. “Thanks, love.”

“It’s just…I, um….you know…” 

“Yeah, I do. Go on back and enjoy the rest of the museum.” 

“You’re sure you’re OK out here?” 

“We’re just fine.”


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *~*~*~*~*~*
> 
> Many thanks to the lovely tenroseforeverandever. 
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*

Rose drifted vaguely towards wakefulness, pulled along by the sensation of something soft patting her face. 

“Mmmmummum.” 

“Hush, love,” John murmured quietly. “Mummy’s sleepin’. Allie and Merlin are sleepin’. Daddy an’ Jackie should be sleepin,’ too.” 

There was a muffled thump, followed by a giggle and the sound of tiny hands clapping. 

“Jacqueline Petra Tyler-Smith, sending your pet dinosaur to attack your poor old dad is not nice.” 

“Pretty sure she’s too little to understand a word of that,” Rose mumbled. 

“I’m sorry, love. I’ll take her out to the recliner.” 

“No…stay.” 

Rose rolled over, settling her cheek against John’s leg. His free hand immediately drifted to her head, combing gently through her hair. 

***

It was the sound of a baby crying that dragged Rose awake some hours later. Allie, she thought blearily, since Miss Jackie had been up for her midnight playdate with Daddy. Rose was nestled quite comfortably in John’s arms, but when Allie didn’t settle after a moment, she moved to gently disentangle herself and sit up. As soon as she started moving, John’s arms tightened uncomfortably around her. 

“John? I have to get the baby.” 

Craning her neck, Rose saw that John’s eyes were still shut. Sweat beaded his forehead, and his arms clenched convulsively when she tried to move. 

“John, **_please!_** I have to get Allie!” 

Finally, Allie’s cries escalated into a wail that woke John. His eyes snapped open, unseeing for a long moment. Then he realized that his fingers were digging into Rose’s arms. 

“Oh, God…love…”

“S’all right. Just let me get her, OK?” 

John nodded, sinking his head into his hands. 

“Wanna talk about it?” Rose prompted a few minutes later, sitting down beside him with a now-calm Allie in her lap. 

“I…I don’t know exactly what was goin’ on…just…I felt something tryin’ to pull you away from me, and I couldn’t lose you. I just couldn’t.” 

“I was just tryin’ to get the baby,” she replied gently, sliding closer to wrap her free arm around his shoulders. 

“I know that…now. I’m so, so sorry, love.” 

“Aadaa!” Allie said happily, reaching out for him. 

“Yes, love. Daddy’s here,” John replied, his voice still rough. He leaned his head on Rose’s shoulder, half-afraid to touch anything that he loved just then. 

***

Rose reached around a particularly squirmy Jackie, trying to reach a book without her daughter dismantling the entire display. “Come on, Ace. You’ve got to pick something.” She was trying very hard to keep her voice level, and ignore the lingering ache in her arms. 

“I’ve got a book,” Ace replied sulkily. 

“Yeah, and I know it’s one you’ve been looking forward to, but you need a novel for this project. What about this one?” 

“I read one of his already,” Ace replied disdainfully. “The science is rubbish.” 

“Well, it **_is_** fiction.” 

“It’s rubbish.” 

“Rose, my dear, is that you?” 

“Alistair!” Rose exclaimed happily, hugging her friend awkwardly around the baby carrier. “We weren’t lookin’ for you ‘til later!”

“Ah. Well, I arrived a bit early, saw a bookshop -”

“And thought you’d just spoil your goddaughters a bit more?” Rose asked, grinning at the stack of books in his arm. 

“It’s my job, after all. Which one of my darlings is this?” he asked, stooping to kiss the baby’s head. 

“That’s Jackie!” Ace laughed. 

“And how can you tell?” 

“Makin’ all that fuss, and waving ‘er ‘ands about? That’s Jackie.” 

“And you are?” 

“Oh, I’m Ace. I sell popcorn and such at the circus.” 

“And you need to pick a novel for your report,” Rose reminded her. 

Ace scowled. 

“Perhaps I can help,” Alistair suggested. 

“All right,” Ace agreed reluctantly. 

Rose relaxed infinitesimally as he led the way to a bookcase. 

***

“Rose, I hope I didn’t cause any undue fuss, turning up early,” Alistair began, catching Rose alone after a lively dinner. 

“No, of course not! We’ve been looking forward to seeing you for ages! What‘s holidays, without family?” 

“I’m glad. Only, you seemed a bit tense this afternoon. Is everything quite all right?” 

“It’s fine, really. Ace can be a bit of a handful sometimes.” 

“She seems quite clever, if a bit undisciplined.” 

“She’s brilliant with things that interest her. John has trouble finding maths and sciences difficult enough to hold her attention.” 

“But I take it she’s not as fond of reading?” 

“Depends what it is. That book about the new dinosaur they found in Russia? She’ll probably finish that before morning, but she needs to read a novel and do a book report.” 

“And you and John?” he pressed, sensing something wrong. 

Alistair laid his hand on Rose’s arm, and she winced, hissing in pain. 

“Rose.” 

“I…it’s nothing. John had a nightmare this morning. Hasn’t happened in a while.” 

“Did he hurt you?” 

“It wasn’t his fault!” Rose insisted, close to tears. “He was havin’ a nightmare…he didn’t mean to.” 

The older gentleman pulled her into a careful embrace. “What happened?” 

“He had a dream, that somethin’ was tryin’ to take me away from him, an’ he grabbed my arms, that’s all.” 

“How bad is it?” 

“Just a couple of bruises, really. Alistair, he would never -”

“I know. I know that quite well.” He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “Why don’t you go and read a book with your beautiful daughters? I’ll take John for a walk. I expect he might like to talk.” 

Rose sniffled a bit and wiped under her eyes with her fingertips. “Would you?” 

***

“Rose told me you had a nightmare this morning,” Alistair said carefully, after they’d walked some moments in silence.

“I hurt her,” John muttered harshly. 

“It was an accident. Rose knows that. She knows that you could never intentionally harm her.” 

“What if it had been one of the girls?” John demanded. 

“It was an accident,” Alistair repeated in a level tone. 

“I’m dangerous,” John replied, in a voice filled with self loathing. “Rose knows that. She said so, once.” 

“Why would she say something like that?” 

“We were arguing about…doesn’t matter what. She was right.” 

Alistair looked at him sharply. “Stop wallowing.” 

“I - what the **_hell?”_**

“You heard me.” 

“You’ve no idea -”

“I have **_every_** idea. I was there once myself, you know. Maybe not the same continent, or the same caliber bullets, but I was there. So was my son. You - you’re one of the lucky ones. You made it home in one piece. You found a wonderful woman who loves you more than anything on this earth, except, perhaps, for the two beautiful children you’ve got. So stop wallowing, and get back inside where you belong.” 

***

Rose looked up from her book when John came inside the trailer. 

“All right?” she asked, with her heart in her eyes. 

John swallowed hard. “Think so, yeah.” 

Allie crawled over and gazed up at John with big, trusting eyes. She curled her tiny hands into his trouser leg. 

His own hands were shaking just a bit as he bent down and lifted her ever so gently into his arms.


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *~*~*~*~*~*
> 
> Many thanks to the lovely tenroseforeverandever. 
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*

“Don’t you want to wear the pretty red bow?” Rose said coaxingly. 

“I take it that would be a ‘no,‘” John murmured, stooping to pick up the ‘pretty red bow’ that landed on the carpet in front of his feet. 

Rose looked crestfallen as she realized that Allie had also pulled off her bow and was nibbling on the ribbon. “I just wanted to get one good picture.” 

“We’ll get plenty,” John assured her. “They’re adorable.” 

The twins **_were_** adorable, wearing matching ruffled dresses of candy-cane-print calico, gifts from Gwen and Tosh. 

Rose glanced up at him mischievously, fingering the hem of his green jumper. “You’re not so bad yourself, Mr. Tyler-Smith.” 

“Fishing for a compliment, are you?” 

“Nope - a kiss.” 

John grinned manically. “Your wish is my command.” 

***

Three adults, one teenager, and two almost-toddlers had made for a very colorful Christmas dinner at the local diner. Fortunately for all concerned, the twins were cute enough that everyone forgave their antics.

Rose frowned at the image on the camera’s screen. “Allie looked away this time.” 

“The day’s not over yet, love,” John said. 

“I know, but now Jackie’s got cereal on herself,” Rose mourned. 

“We must have taken a hundred pictures between all of us. Some of them **_have to_** turn out!” Ace said encouragingly. 

“Quite right,” Alistair agreed. “Now go on and enjoy your dessert.” 

Jackie shrieked with laughter, and Ace rolled her eyes in disgust as John held up a delicate forkful of chocolate cake for Rose. 

“What’s that?” Alistair asked, as Ace propped up an envelope against the napkin dispenser. 

“Tip for the waitress, for Christmas.” 

“I’ll take care of that, my dear.” 

“I want to. I used to work in a place like this.” 

“Very well,” he said approvingly. “That’s a very clever display you’ve arranged for the concession stand.” 

“John an’ Rose helped me talk the manager into it, but she likes the way it turned out, and said I can do another.” 

“So, you’re planning to stay on then, with the circus?” 

“S’pose so. Why?” 

“I don’t know if John’s ever mentioned, but I teach at an engineering college. You’ve a very fine mind, and I think you’d do well there.” 

“What, me, at a big university, like Luke?” 

“Well, it’s not so grand as all that, but it is quite a good school.” 

“Just don’t go blowin’ up any computers,” John interjected. “Took me a year to design that system.” 

“You really think I could do it?” Ace asked quietly. 

“I do.” 

“But how would I pay for it?” 

“The first step is the entrance exams,” Alistair said briskly. 

“If you can get yourself accepted, I think I know someone who might help,” John said. 

“Mr. Copper?” Rose guessed. 

“His foundation funds lots of scholarships. I shouldn’t wonder if there’s something Ace would qualify for.” 

***

“It’s very good of you to help Ace with her entrance exams,” Rose said quietly. The twins were dozing in their playpen with Merlin, surrounded by the spoils of the day. 

“It’s my pleasure,” Alistair replied. “She has a great deal of potential, and I’d hate to see it wasted.” 

“Just prepare yourself - she can be a bit of a handful.” 

“So you’ve said. But I honestly think it’s a matter of channeling her interest. The classes at the college should be difficult enough to engage her intellect, without frustrating her.” 

“Alistair, do you…do you ever think that I’m holdin’ John back? It’s just…when he talks about designing computer systems, an’ all…he’s so clever, he could do anything.” 

The older gentleman looked thoughtful. “Rose, my dear, I can’t speak to what John’s potential may have been years ago, before the army. I didn’t know him then. But I do know that however dreadful war looks on the evening news, the reality is infinitely filthier and more vicious than you can possibly imagine. War breaks people, and it scars them. The John Tyler-Smith that I know - the man who laughs, and holds his daughters, and helps the children with their lessons - that man exists **_because of you._** Because of your love and compassion. So no, I don’t think you hold him back at all. I shudder to think what would have become of him, if he’d never met you.” 

Alistair stood as John returned from walking Ace to her trailer. “Thank you both for a lovely day. Happy Christmas.” 

“Happy Christmas,” Rose replied, leaning up to kiss his cheek. 

She turned back from latching the door to see John examining the camera with a satisfied grin. **_“That_** is how you get them both to keep still in the same picture!” he crowed. 

Rose caught his wrist to hold the camera still enough to see. “They’re sleeping.” 

“Best way to capture moving targets!” 

“You’re daft!” 

“And you love me.” 

“Yeah, I do. John…you an’ me…we’re OK?” 

Rose gazed up at him with a small hopeful smile, and John responded by engulfing her in a warm embrace, mindful of the fading bruises on her arms. 

“We are better than OK. We are **_fantastic.”_**


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to the lovely tenroseforeverandever. Also otpprompts, ‘cuz this one was just too perfect.

“There, now. Isn’t that pretty?” Rose murmured. 

John stood in the doorway, entranced at the vision they made - Rose smoothing a soft brush through Allie’s wispy golden hair. 

“I think someone’s about ready for bed.” 

“Think you’re right,” Rose agreed, watching the baby’s eyelids droop. 

John carefully lifted Allie in his arms, then laid her in her cot. He stooped to drop a kiss on her forehead. “She’s your daughter, that’s for sure,” he said with a soft chuckle. 

“What makes you say - oh!” Rose’s voice trailed off into a sigh as John picked up her brush and began to pull it gently through her hair. 

“Have I mentioned lately how beautiful you are?” 

“Not sure,” Rose replied, glancing up at him through her eyelashes. “Why don’t you remind me?” 

***

“I hope Ace isn’t driving Alistair spare,“ Rose remarked, as they ambled across the fairground, hand-in-hand, each wearing a baby 

“Well, he‘s a teacher, and he‘s been a dad, so I expect he went into this with his eyes wide open. They might just do each other a bit of good.” 

“I just hope…that is…” Rose’s voice trailed off as her free hand settled protectively on Jackie’s back. 

“He would,” John replied firmly. “If our girls ever needed anything, he’d be there for them. So would Jack and Ianto. You know that.” 

“I do. It’s just…” 

“It’s just that you’re their Mum.” 

John leaned down to kiss Rose softly, and she smiled against his lips. They stepped apart quickly as they heard their names being called. Astrid was smiling cheerfully and waving at them. As they meandered over to meet her, they could see a man and a small boy standing beside her. An expression of intense pain crossed the man’s features, then he pressed his eyes shut, and plastered on a smile. 

“John! Rose! This is Jackson Lake, the new concession manager, and his son, Freddie. Jackson, this is John and Rose Tyler-Smith, and their daughters, Allie and Jackie.” 

Rose crouched down to Freddie’s level, while the two men exchanged pleasantries. “Hello, Freddie. I’m Rose, and this is Jackie.” 

“H’lo,” the boy whispered. 

Rose smiled warmly. “Would you like to come and meet some of the other kids? Maybe see where we do circus camp?” 

The tow-headed boy shook his head slightly, and pressed back against his father’s leg. 

“Why don’t you go, Freddie? That sounds like fun,” Jackson said encouragingly. 

“What if I come, too?” Astrid said, holding out her hand. 

Freddie finally nodded, with one last glance at his father. 

Jackson scrubbed his hands over his face before turning back to John. “I expect I ought to explain, before you think we both need to be sectioned.” 

“All in good time,” John said neutrally. 

“You see, a couple of months ago, I’d taken Freddie out to play ball in the park. While we were gone, someone broke into the house. They…they must have thought the house was empty, and panicked when Caroline saw them. When we walked into the house, we saw - **_Freddie saw_** \- there was no way to - please forgive me,” he finished raggedly. 

“Nothin’ to forgive,” John said quietly. His throat clogged with sympathy, and his lips dropped to the top of Allie‘s head. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to even stand upright if he’d lost Rose like that. 

“So, you see, we couldn’t stay there. I sold the house immediately after the police finished their investigation. We tried renting a flat, but…Freddie didn’t seem to be improving at all, so when I saw the ad for the job at the circus…I thought…well…maybe a change would do us both good.” 

“This isn’t the life for everyone,” John cautioned, “but there’s good people here. We’ll help you, any way we can.” 

“Thank you,” Jackson said, offering his hand once more. 

***

John was sitting up in bed, enjoying a rare few moments of quiet to read. He didn’t raise his gaze from the book as he felt the mattress dip, just lifted his arm to let Rose burrow in beside him. He finally looked up when her golden head cuddled into his chest, obscuring the page before him. 

“What is it, love?” he asked, setting his book aside. 

In response, she slid both arms around his waist and held on for all she was worth. 

“Rose?” 

“S’nothing.” 

“Obviously it’s something. Talk to me.” He stroked his hand soothingly through her hair. 

“He’s so sad,” she finally whispered. “A little boy shouldn’t be so sad.” 

“A little boy should never have had to see what he did,” John agreed. “Jackson is doing the best he can for the lad, and so will we, hmm?” 

“Yeah. ‘Course we will,” Rose murmured drowsily. 

John pressed his lips to the top of Rose’s head as her eyelids fluttered. His own eyes stayed open for a long time, trying to repress images of his own daughters left without himself or Rose. It was a long time before he slept.


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to the lovely tenroseforeverandever and Dev.

“You’d think this would get easier,” Astrid groaned, cheek pressed to her leg as she stretched her hamstring. 

“Hey, no pain, no gain!” Jack chirped, with an irritating amount of energy, considering it was still technically morning. 

“Besides, it beats burning your fingers on that stupid popcorn machine,” Rose added, with a sympathetic grin. 

“An excess of grease burns and spilled pop doesn’t seem to be keeping you from the concession now,” Jack said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. “What’s so interesting? Or should I say, who?” 

“Well, I managed it for a long time. I know where everything is and how it works,” Astrid replied, just a touch defensively. 

Her face flushed pink, and Jack pounced immediately. 

“So, it has nothing to do with the bloke currently running the concession?” he asked, smirking. 

**“Jack!”**

“Just **_shut it,_** will you?”

He looked from one woman to the other in confusion. “What?” 

“Could you maybe just think for a minute before you open your mouth?” Rose scolded. “Jackson is a widower.” 

“Which means he’s single.” 

“Which means he’s **_grieving,_** and trying to care for a heartbroken child besides. Honestly, Jack. Sometimes I wonder why Ianto puts up with you,” Astrid said in a disgusted tone. 

***

John ran into Clyde, who was walking across the fairgrounds carrying a football. “Finished your homework?” he asked automatically. 

“Yeah. I went to ask the new boy if he wanted to play ball, but he said no.” 

“You’re a good lad, Clyde, and it was kind of you to offer,” John said approvingly. “Thing is, Freddie and his dad had been at the park playing ball, the day his mum was killed, so that’s bound to have unpleasant associations for him. You understand?” 

Clyde nodded. 

“Good. You keep trying. In the meantime, I wouldn’t mind having a go.” 

***

John Tyler-Smith loved his wife, he really did, but housekeeping had never been Rose’s strong suit. He was currently crawling around the bedroom floor, collecting odd and ends. He smirked as he retrieved a bra and knickers, recalling just exactly how those had landed on the floor. 

The knock on the trailer door startled him, and he uttered a rather rancid curse as his skull hit the corner of the bedside cabinet. Rubbing the sore spot, John staggered to his feet and headed for the door. 

“Hello, Jackson. What can I do for you?” John asked, as cordially as he could manage. 

“Oh, great minds think alike, I see,” Jackson said, and John flushed deep red, realizing that he still had Rose’s lingerie clutched in his hand. He quickly set it down as his visitor continued, “I wanted to ask how you managed the laundry?” 

“Oh, sometimes the fairgrounds have facilities, but mostly we just go in to town to a laundromat.” 

“Of course. I should have known.” 

“Jackson!” 

Both men turned as Astrid came running towards the trailer, smiling brilliantly. 

“You’ve just got to come and see this!”

“What is it? What’s wrong?” 

“It’s Freddie, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong at all. Come on!” 

John shrugged slightly and followed along after them, his curiosity alight. Astrid led them to the tent where Mags housed her ‘wolf pack.’ The sound of childish laughter and yipping puppies greeted them as Astrid grabbed Jackson’s hand to pull him inside. Freddie was sitting in the center of a small pen, laughing delightedly as puppies swarmed over him, licking his face and hands, and tugging at his shoelaces. 

Jackson drew in a deep shuddering breath, and scrubbed his hands over his face. “I haven’t seen him laugh like that in months. Not since…” 

“That’s why I wanted you to see,” Astrid said softly. 

“Thank you,” Jackson breathed. 

***

Astrid watched as Rose kissed her fingertip, then pressed it to the silver-framed picture of John on her dressing table. It was one of her pre-show rituals, every bit as important as hair, makeup, or stretching. 

“Rose, can I ask you something?” 

“’Course,” Rose muttered, turning her attention to a wayward curl. 

“If I…that is, would you think it wrong of me…if I liked Jackson?” 

“Wrong? No. It’s never wrong to care about someone, and he seems very nice. Difficult, more like. I mean, it’s not exactly like he’s in the market right now.” 

“I know. There’d be a lot of bumps in the road. It’s just…you should have seen his face when he was watching Freddie play with the puppies. I just…like him,” she concluded lamely. 

“Then I wish you all the luck in the world,” Rose said sincerely, turning to her friend and grasping her hands warmly. “For all three of you.”


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *~*~*~*~*~*
> 
> Many thanks to the lovely tenroseforeverandever. 
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*

“Did you enjoy the show?” Astrid asked a wide-eyed Freddie. 

He nodded eagerly. “You and Miss Rose and Miss Tallulah looked really pretty.” 

“Thank you, sweetheart,” Astrid replied, leaning in to kiss his cheek. “You know, you can try out the trapeze yourself sometime, if you want.” 

“Could I, Dad?” Freddie asked, looking over Astrid‘s shoulder. 

“Well…” Jackson said hesitantly. 

Surprisingly, it was Clyde who noticed the mild panic on the older man‘s face. “We’ve all gone up at least once, and there’s nets and crash mats.” 

“And he would never be alone,” Astrid added. 

“Of course. Well, why not? When in Rome.” 

“Thanks, Dad!” 

“Boys! It’s time to feed the pups!” Mags called. 

“Off with you,” Jackson said, smiling as he watched his son scramble down from the bleachers. 

“I’d never have suggested it, if it wasn’t safe,” Astrid said softly. 

“I know. Of course I know. This is just all so new, and I’m a bit over protective. Please for-” 

“Nothing to forgive,” Astrid said firmly. 

“Astrid! If you want that costume to have time to air out before tonight’s performance, you’d better change now!” Tosh announced over the PA. 

“Guess that’s my cue,” Astrid said, a bit sheepishly. 

“Right,” Jackson agreed. “See you later.” 

***

“Gwen and Tosh were getting ready to send out a search party,” Rose said by way of greeting, as Astrid entered the wardrobe. She was seated on the floor in a little fenced off corral playing with Anwen, Allie, and Jackie. 

“For the costume! You know how they are on a two show day,” Tallulah added, stepping behind Astrid to undo her hook and zipper. “Me an’ Lazlo are going for a bite to eat before the next show. Wanna come with?” 

“No thanks. I’ll stay and help Rose with the babies. Have fun!” 

Rose raised an eyebrow at that, but didn’t comment as her friend climbed into the corral and settled on the floor. Both women laughed as Anwen toddled over to Astrid and crash landed into her lap. 

“Soooooo?” Rose asked. 

“Freddie really enjoyed the show,” Astrid replied brightly. “He wants to try circus camp.” 

“I expect it’ll be good for him to try something new. And his dad?” 

“Jackson was a bit nervous at the idea of the trapeze -”

“But he’s already figured out that you’d never let anything happen to his boy?” 

“To any of the kids. You know that, Rose!” 

“Yeah. ‘Course I do,” she replied, with a knowing grin. 

***

“Good morning, Jackson!” 

“Hello, Astrid,” he replied, slowing slightly to allow her to fall into step with him. 

“I like that,” she said, nodding towards the red brocade vest he was wearing. 

“Well, it seemed appropriate to all this,” he replied, waving his hand to encompass the collection of circus tents. “Caroline was always trying to get me to wear more colors. She said that just because I was a maths teacher, was no excuse to be stodgy.” 

“She sounds like a wonderful person” Astrid said softly. 

“She was.” And to Jackson’s considerable, surprise, he found that it didn’t hurt to think of her. He filed that thought away for future reference. “If I might ask, how did you come to be part of all this?” 

“I was waiting tables at a diner and the circus came to town. They were advertising for a concession manager, and I’d always dreamed of traveling, so I applied.” 

“But if you wanted to travel, why not an airline, or a cruise ship? Forgive me…it’s not my business.” 

“No, it’s fine. I did try a cruise line, actually. But the company’s insurance didn’t cover us going ashore at any of the stops, and believe it or not, posh people have worse manners than mill workers.” 

“And how did you go from being concession manager to performer?” he prompted, wanting to hear more of her story. 

“Sarah Jane encourages people to learn about anything here that interests them, so Rose and Nancy were teaching me aerials. Then Rose had an accident, and I went on while she was hurt. I got the job permanently when Nancy left.” 

“Funny,” Jackson mused, “I never wanted anything too extraordinary, but this place, and these people…” 

“Grows on you?”

“Exactly.” 

***

“And what are you grinnin’ like a Cheshire cat for?” John asked, stepping up behind Rose and wrapping his arms around her waist. He followed her gaze out the window, seeing Astrid and Jackson strolling along the row of trailers. John sighed. “Rose, I don’t know that you should be encouraging that.” 

“Why not? She’s my friend, and he’s a nice bloke. Why shouldn’t I want them to be happy?” 

“Of course you do, love, but it’s complicated. It’s not like he just broke up - his wife was taken from him, violently. And there’s a child to consider, as well. It’s not an ideal situation.” 

Rose twisted in John’s arms to look up at him through long lashes. “A war veteran and a dancer half his age is hardly an ideal situation, and we made it work. Why shouldn’t they?” 

John reached out with a reverent little half-smile to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “I can believe almost anything, when I’m holding you.”


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, if you’re enjoying this, you can thank the lovely tenroseforeverandever, who puts up with all sorts of babbling and strange emails and bits of ideas. 
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*

“So, is this a thing here? The family picnics, I mean,” Jackson clarified, at John’s puzzled look. “It’s lovely, really. This is the nicest one we’ve been asked to.” 

“Well, you know how it is when they’re so little,” John hedged, glancing up from the grill over to where Freddie, Astrid, and Rose were helping the twins roll a ball. 

“Yes, that’s just what Gwen and Rhys said. Mrs. Chandra, too. Lovely woman, if a bit…er…” 

“Exactly,” John agreed. 

“Anyway, it’s so kind of you all to include us, and Astrid, of course.” 

“Of course.” John smiled, though mentally he was gritting his teeth. His wife and her friends weren’t being particularly subtle. 

“And Jack and Ianto keep offering their services as babysitters. Not that I have any need. It’s not like I go anywhere without Freddie.” 

“Well, something to keep in mind. Everyone can do with a bit of grown up time, now and again.” 

“Actually,” Jackson began hesitantly. “I…I know Astrid and your wife are good friends. Is it…that is to say…would you think it unseemly of me if I were to ask Astrid out to dine with me? Sometime. Not right now, but…sometime.” 

John smiled. “Jackson, life handed you a terrible tragedy. But I think life also has a way of sending us good people to help us through the rough spots. So yeah, when you’re ready, I think you should ask her out. But only when **_you’re_** ready,” he emphasized, “and not because of the good ladies of Pendragon Performing Arts.” 

“You know, John, they do say it’s only happy women who are matchmakers,” Jackson replied with a sly grin. 

***

“I always thought I’d like a daughter,” Jackson mused wistfully, as he balanced Jackie on his hip. “I wouldn’t trade Freddie for anything, you understand, but Caroline and I had always thought…maybe someday…”

“Plenty o’ somedays left,” John replied as he deftly finished changing Allie. 

“Yes, of course.” 

“Oi! Spaceman! Come out here and help me with these packages!” 

“What the-? Donna?” John hastily stepped over to the door, gesturing at Jackson to mind Allie. 

“Happy Easter!” the redhead said, smiling warmly. She shoved a large bundle into John’s arms, and barged past him, into the trailer, making a beeline for the changing table, where Allie was seriously contemplating stuffing her toes in her mouth. 

“Oh, aren’t you just the most beautiful thing!” she cooed, sweeping the baby up into her arms. 

“Careful,” John warned, “Allie doesn’t always take to new people…” His voice trailed off as Allie giggled, and reached out to pat Donna’s long red hair. 

“You were sayin,’ Spaceman?” Donna replied smugly. “Us girls gotta stick together, don’t we?” she said to Allie. 

“What’ve you got in here?” John grumbled, hauling more bags inside. 

“Blame Alistair for the books,” Donna informed him, “and mind you don’t squash that cake! Lynda made it special for the girls.” 

“John, did I just see - **_Donna!”_** Rose exclaimed, launching herself at her friend. “Oh, I’ve missed you!” 

Jackson edged closer to John, shifting Jackie into her father’s arms. “Feeling a bit superfluous here. I should go collect Freddie.” 

“Oh, are you the new bloke? The one with the little boy?” Donna demanded. “Why don’t you go fetch him? Lynda sent me with way too many goodies. I’m sure he’d love some cookies. I’m Donna, by the way.” 

“I…” 

“Go on,” John encouraged, “bring back Freddie, and Astrid, if you see her.” 

“Well, if you’re sure.” 

“You wouldn’t leave me here outnumbered, would you?” John asked plaintively. 

***

Jackson found Astrid leaning against the outside the office trailer, watching the kids - Freddie included - kicking a ball around. She smiled as she saw him and walked over to meet him. Astrid’s smile dimmed as she noted the faraway look in Jackson’s eyes. 

“You OK?” she asked softly. 

He cleared his throat roughly. “Yes, of course. It’s just…Freddie hasn’t wanted to play ball since…well, that day.” 

“Time’s a great healer, especially for kids.” 

“I wish he could forget that day, but I don’t think he ever will. But at the same time, I’m afraid he’ll forget **_her._** That doesn’t make sense, does it?” 

“Doesn’t have to,” Astrid assured him. She looped her arm through his. “I think you won’t let him forget the important things. And you know what? Time is also pretty good for grown ups.” 

“Time, and good company. Which reminds me…we have an invitation.” 

“They’re getting kind of obvious, aren’t they?” Astrid remarked, with a grin. 

“Just a bit,” Jackson agreed. “They mean well. Erm, if you don’t want to come -”

“I do. I just don’t want you to feel like I’m pushing in.” 

“Please come. I just…feel…better…when I’m with you.” 

Jackson cringed at how terribly awkward that sounded, but Astrid just wrapped her other hand around his arm, and gave him a gentle smile. 

 

*~*~*~*~*~*


	42. Easter Parade

Gwen Cooper smiled as she settled a small bowler hat onto Freddie Lake’s head. The boy was dressed in a vaguely-Victorian outfit, featuring knee breeches and suspenders, paired with full clown make up. 

“There now. All ready for your big debut. Do you remember what to do if you get tired, or want to stop for any reason?” 

“I give a thumbs up, and John or Rhys will come and get me,” the boy repeated dutifully. 

“Right you are. Off with you now, and have fun!” Gwen kissed her index finger, and pressed it to the tip of the boy’s round, red nose. 

“Oh, he’s adorable!” Astrid exclaimed as the boy scampered over to join the group lining up for the local Easter Parade. 

Jackson smiled and waved at his son, then turned back to Astrid. “Have I mentioned that you look quite beautiful today?” 

“Thank you,” she replied. “You’re looking very dapper yourself, you know.” 

And he was. The wardrobe miracle workers had outfitted Jackson with a black tailcoat, top hat, and gold-tipped walking stick. His own red brocade vest was the perfect accent for Astrid’s red ruffled gown and beribboned picture hat. 

Jack and Rose wore their finest royal blue and white ensemble, while the kids who wanted to march in the parade were dressed in old fashioned clothing and made up as clowns. John and Rhys, as usual, were wearing their best ‘don’t even think about it scowls.’ (There was some debate as to whether this was to ward off troublemakers, or Gwen and Tosh.) 

Rose blew a kiss to her daughters, who were in their double stroller, in the care of Auntie Donna. She laughed as the Easter Bunny bounced up to introduce himself. Anwen and Jackie were entranced, and quite obviously believed him to be the best plushie in the whole wide world, but Allie pulled her little straw hat down over her face and wouldn’t even look. 

Rose noticed and managed half a step before Jack caught her arm. 

“Rose, she’s fine.” 

“But -” 

“She’s fine,” Jack repeated soothingly. “Besides, Donna’s loving this whole honorary auntie thing.” 

“I…you’re right,” Rose conceded, with a deep breath and a watery smile. 

“That’s my girl,” Jack replied, leaning down to drop a kiss on her forehead. 

***

Freddie watched the growing crowd with wide eyes. Dad and Miss Astrid had told him he didn’t have to be in the parade if he didn’t want to, but all the other kids were, and besides, he didn’t want to have to stay behind with the babies. Still, there were so many people! 

Jackson noticed his son’s apprehension. “Do you think I ought to -?” he whispered to Astrid. 

Just then, a veritable mountain of pink ruffles, replete with parasol, flounced up to Freddie. “Stick with me, kid,” Tallulah said, winking as she extended her hand. 

Freddie grinned and took her hand, and suddenly, the crowd didn’t seem quite so scary any more. 

***

John smiled as he watched ‘Auntie Donna’ finally coax Allie into taking a treat from the Easter Bunny’s less scary assistant. He gave them a little wave as the Pendragon group got their cue to start down the route. Nice day, happy kids, and (hopefully) too early in the day for drunks. He needed more days like this.


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *~*~*~*~*~*
> 
> Thank you to waltzing-with-my-inner-geek for helping me devise a suitable illness. (Yes, I am strange…haven’t you figured that out by now?) 
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*

It had been a lovely Easter Sunday, from the charming small-town parade, to the matinee performance, to dinner at a local diner with Donna. It was fantastic to hear all the news from their friends in the city, and see Donna get to know the twins. Once they’d gotten home, and gotten the girls settled for the night, John had given Rose one of his marvelous foot rubs, which had led to…well…other activities. 

Rose gave a contented little sigh as she started to drift off, cradled close in John’s arms. And that’s when the first infantile wail echoed through the trailer. 

***

“Is it my turn?” John mumbled, waking to the sound of a baby’s cry. He came around rather quickly when his hand met only a cold, empty spot in the bed beside him. 

“John, can you get her?” Rose called worriedly. “I’ve got Allie.” 

John didn’t like the sound of that at all, and hastily swung his legs over the side of the bed. He stumbled to the cots, carefully lifting a squalling Jackie into his arms. She promptly spit up on him. “Rose, something’s wrong. She feels hot.” 

“Allie’s running a fever, an‘ she‘s congested.” 

“I’ll call Martha.” 

***

“I’m fine, John, really,” Rose protested for what seemed like the hundredth time. 

“No, you’re not,” John countered, keeping his arm wrapped firmly around her waist. 

“I don’t want -” 

“Rose, stop,” John said firmly. He cupped her face in his hands, staring into her red-rimmed eyes. “You can’t take care of anyone else if you collapse, and that’s where you’re heading.” 

“Is everything all right?” Astrid asked timidly. 

John and Rose both jumped, neither having heard their friend’s approach. 

“I’m takin’ Rose into town, to get a room.” 

“No, you’re not,” Rose snapped back tiredly. 

“You haven’t slept properly in three days!” 

“Neither have you!” 

“I’m not the one who swings about from the rafters for a living!” 

Rose glared up at him, looking impossibly tiny and fragile, with his violet jumper swamping her jimjams. 

“Um, excuse me,” Astrid interrupted, “but why don’t you sleep in my trailer? It’s at the far end of the lot, so it’s quiet, and you’d still be here. I know you don’t want to leave your girls, but you really do need to get some rest.” 

“Would you do that, Rose?” John cajoled gently. “For me?” 

Rose worried her bottom lip between her teeth. “You really don’t mind?” she asked her friend. 

“Of course not,” Astrid replied, with a warm grin. “Come on, let’s get you settled.” 

***

Jackson Lake whistled merrily as he made his way to his trailer, carrying a suit fresh from the dry cleaners. He smiled and waved as he saw Astrid coming along the path. To his shock, she stopped in her tracks, and clapped a hand over her mouth. 

“Astrid? What is it? What’s wrong?” he asked, concerned. 

“I am such an idiot.” 

“You are no such thing. Now tell me, what’s wrong?” 

She gestured to the plastic-wrapped suit he was carrying. “I - you - tonight…” 

“Oh. I see. Did you…change your mind, about tonight?” he asked guardedly. 

“No! No, of course not! It’s just…you know John and Rose’s girls have been sick?” 

Jackson nodded, looking a bit bewildered. 

“Rose hasn’t slept in a couple of days, and John wanted to take her into town to get a room, so she could rest, and Rose didn’t want to go, so I said she could sleep in my trailer,” Astrid garbled out in a rush. 

“OK,” Jackson said cautiously. 

“And my dress, and my shoes, and my…everything that goes with it, is in my trailer, and I can’t possibly go back there and wake up Rose when she’s finally getting some sleep.” 

Jackson’s face relaxed as he burst out laughing. 

“I’m an idiot,” Astrid repeated. “I’m so sorry.” 

Jackson stepped in quickly and kissed her cheek. “You are a wonderful friend, and you have nothing to apologize for.” 

“But you planned this out, and got reservations…you wanted it to be special.” 

“Any time spent with you is special. Tell you what - I’ll change our reservations to a take-away order, and I’ll fetch a bottle of wine. You look out a picnic blanket and some glasses. How’s that sound?” 

“Wonderful,” Astrid replied. “It sounds just wonderful.” 

***

Rose woke to the sound of someone quietly moving around the trailer. It took a moment for her fuddled mind to register that it wasn’t her trailer, and another for her to notice the time on the clock, and the faint glow of dawn through the crack in the window curtains. 

“Astrid?” she mumbled. 

“Morning!” the other blonde replied brightly. 

“You should have woken me up and booted me out hours ago. Wait - where’d you sleep?”

“I didn’t, exactly. No - nothing like that!” Astrid added, turning bright pink. “Jackson and I walked up that big hill for a picnic supper. Afterwards, we just sat up there for hours talking, and looking at the stars, and…we both sort of dozed off.” 

“That sounds lovely,” Rose said softly. 

“It was.” 

***

John was straightening up from Allie’s cot when a pair of warm arms slipped around his waist. 

“How is she?” Rose whispered. 

“Better. Martha says it’s an ear infection. She gave her some antibiotics. Jackie‘s just got a garden variety cold, which just needs to run its course.” 

Rose planted a kiss to his shoulder blade. “An’ you? Have you gotten any rest at all?” 

“Nah. I don’t sleep well without you.” 

“Let’s see what we can do about that.”


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *~*~*~*~*~*
> 
> Many thanks to the lovely tenroseforeverandever. 
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*

John sat down on the bench next to Clyde, who was uncharacteristically sitting out a game of footie. 

“Lide!” Jackie announced, clapping her hands. 

He smiled slightly and extended a hand for her to wrap her little fingers around. 

“Everything all right?” John asked. “You seem a bit quiet today.” 

“I’m fine,” Clyde replied quickly. He looked at Jackie, who was laughing as she clutched his hand. “You - you love Rose, right? More than anything.” 

“That’s right.” 

“You love her, and you had babies, and you take care of the babies, and you’d never, ever leave them. That’s the way it’s supposed to be, isn’t it?” 

“I think so,” John replied gravely. 

Clyde stared at his shoes for a long moment. “I’d a postcard from my dad. He’s in Germany. He said I could come visit if I want.” 

“Do you want to go?” 

“I don’t know. I mean, sometimes, I’m just so mad at him for leavin’ me and Mum, you know? And other times, I just wish I had a dad to talk to...you know, about…stuff.” 

“I know it’s not the same as having your own father, but you know you can always talk to me, about anything.” 

“I know. But that’s the thing…I’ve only known you a couple of years, and you’ve been more of a dad to me than he ever was.” 

“Clyde Langer, I think that’s one of the best compliments anyone’s ever paid me. Thank you.” 

“So, what do you think I should do?” 

“What do **_you_** think you should do?”

“I don’t know. I mean, Germany sounds really cool, and I have some things I’d really like to ask him, but I don’t want to upset Mum.” 

“I never knew my folks,” John said carefully. “You’ve got a father. If it was me, I think I wouldn’t want to lose track of him entirely. Things happen, and one day, it’ll be too late to ask him all those things you want to know.” 

Clyde nodded slowly. “I understand what you’re saying. It’s just…he doesn’t even remember how old I am. I don’t know…if I saw him in person, would I be able to ask him stuff, or would I just get mad and yell at him?” 

“You don’t know until you try. He’s done a lot for you to be angry about, and shouting and clearing the air might be better for you than holding it all inside. Maybe before you decide to go see him, try something like Skype?” 

“I like that idea,” Clyde said enthusiastically. He looked at Jackie who was happily attached to his hand and wriggling towards him. 

“I think someone wants to come visit. Would you like to hold her?” 

“Just for a minute.“ 

John transferred his tiny daughter to Clyde, who held her very carefully. “If I had a kid, I’d never, ever leave her. Not for anything.” 

“No, I don’t think you would,” John agreed. 

“Except, maybe to get away from the smell of a dirty diaper.”


	45. Chapter 45

Freddie burst frantically into the circus tent, glancing around wildly until he spied Astrid. He launched himself at her, wrapping both arms around her waist. 

“What is it, Freddie? What’s wrong?” she asked, trying to scan him for injury. 

“Rhys and John said they were gonna send away to America for baseball bats to keep the boys away!” 

The other occupants of the tent burst into laughter, except for Rose, who covered her mouth with her hand, and Astrid, who pressed her lips firmly together. 

“They didn’t mean little guys like you!” Clyde chortled. 

“But…I’m a boy,” Freddie said, in a very small voice. 

“Clyde’s right, darling,” Astrid assured him. “That’s just something that fathers of pretty girls like to say. You’ll understand when you’re older, I promise.” 

***

John was humming under his breath as he waltzed into the trailer, carrying a giggling Jackie. He stilled at the stern look Rose leveled at him. 

“I hope you’re proud of yourself,” Rose scolded. “You and Rhys managed to terrorize a six year old today!” 

“What? How?” John asked, genuinely perplexed. 

Rose’s eyebrows shot up. “Sending to America for baseball bats ring any bells?” 

“Oh.” 

“You can apologize to Astrid, the next time you see her. She’s the one who got to clean up your mess.” 

“She’s really good with Freddie,” he offered in a conciliatory tone. 

“Yes, she is, but you really need to mind what you say around the kids.” 

“I’m sorry,” John said contritely, passing Jackie into Rose’s arms. “If it’s any consolation, that comment was part of a discussion about how, if our girls turned out to be as beautiful as their mums, we were going to be besieged in a few years.” 

Rose smiled, in spite of herself, and John leaned down to kiss the end of her nose. 

“You think you’re so impressive!” 

“I am so impressive, aren’t I, Miss Jackie?” 

Jackie looked up at him and shrieked with laughter.


	46. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who came along for the ride - a one-shot that turned into seven and a half months, forty-six chapters, and ninety-five pages. Enormous thanks to the lovely tenroseforeverandever for read throughs, ideas, and moral support (lots and lots of moral support!).

John Tyler-Smith blinked in the darkness, wondering vaguely what had woken him. Not a nightmare, he decided. Rose was sleeping peacefully beside him, and Merlin was draped across his ankles. Not his two little pig-tailed alarm clocks, either - the trailer was silent. 

A glance at the clock revealed that it was, indeed his birthday. The very early hours of it, at least. He’d never been one for fussing about such things, but he knew there was some sort of gift that involved pink paint handprints stashed somewhere in the trailer, and Rhys and Lazlo had done a fairly poor job of smuggling a few express packages out of his line of sight. 

John had always been alone. Even as a lad, his serious demeanor had been enough for him to acquire a reputation as a grumpy sod, long before he’d done anything to deserve it. Then came the war, with all its horror and filth, and the aftermath that no one ever thought to mention. Then came an empty flat and a boring job in a small town, where no one knew him. And then he met her. 

Rose stirred slightly in her sleep, and snuggled against his shoulder. Moving ever so carefully, John dipped his head slightly, to press a kiss to her hair. He still marveled that this delicate creature, who moved through the world in an aura of light and laughter, should have chosen him. 

As a child, his dreams of a home had been typical - a red brick house, with a garden, and fireplace, and plenty of bookcases, but the reality was so much sweeter. He had friends, and travel, and adventure - everything he’d never dared to dream could be his. Their tiny little home on wheels was so much bigger on the inside - because it was filled with love. 

John settled Rose a bit closer to his side and let his eyes drift shut. 

 

**_Finis._ **


End file.
